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| 'Pay peanuts, get monkeys' |
SPAIN (Agencies) The new Government, in the shape of the new Ministry of Employment and Social Security, has informed the unions that it intends to freeze the minimum wage (Salario Mínimo Interprofesional, or SMI) for 2012. It will stay at its present €641,40 per month, or an annual €8,979.60. The minimum wage for domestic employees is to remain at €5.02 per hour worked. The reason: 'the present economic climate', according to union sources. The SMI was raised by 1.3% to its present level in 2011. The measure will affect some 183,000 workers, according to the country's two main unions, UGT and CCOO. In a letter to the new Minister of Employment, Fátima Báñez, the unions say that the present crisis "cannot be used as an excuse to desist in our objective of reaching a SMI of 60% of the median salary." This translates to some €1,026 a month, as is recommended by the European Social Charter signed by Spain. The country's SMI is one of the lowest in the EU-15, and has been losing purchasing power steadily since 2006. Below is a list of minimum wages as per Wikipedia:>>>
