Outcomes of the tripartite wage exchange group

ETUC and affiliates’ interventions Stress the European, not the individual national dimension (to avoid affiliates from being set up against each other – Warning against the downwards spiral, of each of us trying to export unemployment to the rest of us – Denouncing (German) wage standard of zero unit wage costs – Stressing the autonomy of collective bargaining, condeming EU/ECB interventions in wages – Nuancing the « competitiveness » approach by pointing to the situation of ‘balance sheet recession’ – Drawing attention to the forgotten side o f the equation: Profits and the use of profits – Experiences from CEE: Weak bargaining leads to weak wages. Minimum wage as a % of a low wage not a solution.

Business Europe and co Heavy criticism on tripartite event, both in terms of set up as in terms of initiative itself (« you have no competence on wages ») Strongest position: « We hope this is a one off » Not wages but labour costs (taxes on wages) should be discussed: Lower labour taxes on young workers, older workers, disabled…. Inequality is good for jobs (Germany)

EMCO Half of EMCO questions on « European Minimum Wage » Tricky question: Our position on « opening clauses » Is the message to give up on good bargaining systems in exchange for the European minimum wage? Another tricky question: What about wages and external imbalances

Key points Employers did not close the door completely Dilemma’s continue to be on the table: – « If EMCO does not discuss wages, other committees do discuss them » – Autonomy of collective bargaining versus fact that Europe intervenes in wages anyway: How do we deal with that ? – Autonomy of bargaining yes but what about competitive national social pacts? – Internal (trade union) coordination as an alternative: Ignored or even rejected (no more than exchange of information) – Monitoring/Steering wages with EPSCO legitimizes ECFIN wage interventions

Key points What will be the follow up ? (summary attached to JER or/and EPSCO conclusions)