Costa opened the social dialogue agreement that will improve the evolution of the minimum wage – Jornal de Negócios – Portugal

In the interview he gave to Lusa agency, António Costa rejects on the other hand that might violate the that is inscribed in the joint declaration PS/Left Block if there is an agreement on social dialogue with different values on the evolution of the national minimum wage until the end of the legislature.

“The program of the Government is clear about what is the amount to propose in the social dialogue in relation to the increase of the national minimum wage, with a view to achieving the objective of having a minimum wage of 600 euros in 2019. For the next year, the Government will propose that is 557 euros”, stated the prime minister.

at This point, the leader of the executive stressed the principle that the minimum wage “is set by the Government”, although if you wish that this could be implemented based on social dialogue.

“And we desire until there can be an agreement of medium-term secure a trajectory of evolution of the national minimum wage. If the social partners agree on another increase, with a path of evolution that allows to go further than the 600 euros in 2019 and further that the 557 euros in 2017, what is the reason for the Government to say otherwise”, she questioned António Costa.

asked if the Government might be violating one of the principles of the joint declaration HP/Block of the Left case is accepted in the social dialogue increases stepwise (not necessarily with effect from 1 January) and with an evolution different to the level of amounts up to 2019, the prime minister walked away from any issue in this political level.

“The joint declaration with the Left Block is transcribed in the program of the Government. Says that the Government will propose in the social dialogue that the update of the national minimum wage is 557 euros in 2017, 580 euros in 2018, in order to achieve the 600 euro in 2019″, underlined Antonio Costa.

Now, according to the prime minister, “is that necessarily the Government will do and, therefore, there is no contradiction”.

“If there is an agreement on consultation that will improve [the evolution of the minimum wage], then excellent, great,”, he said, before you leave a message indirectly to some of the employer confederations.

“in This matter there is no surprise to anyone. Last year you could still say that there was not the expectation [on the evolution of the minimum wage], that we were very on top of the day 1 of January and that he would have some weighting. This time, everyone knows the Government program since last year,” he stressed.