Steps accuses the Government of “false social concertation” – the Observer

the president of The PSD, accused on Wednesday the Government of promoting a "false social dialogue" to move forward with a proposal to increase the minimum wage, and argued that the salary increases must be supported by the economy.

When the Government says that it will to social dialogue but have already decided it means a falsification of the social dialogue. There will be no consultation no, the Government has already decided, will ask the partners if they want to sign that, or if you want the thing to go forward as the Government has decided," said Pedro Passos Coelho.

The social-democratic leader and former prime minister was asked about the meeting of the social dialogue convened by the Government on Thursday, to discuss the increase of the national minimum wage, which the executive has pledged to increase gradually, so that it reaches the 600 euros in 2019.

The minimum wage was fixed in 530 euros this year, and should reach out to 557 euros in 2017 and 580 euros in 2018.

To Pedro Passos Coelho, in this theme, this is not know that if you want to, but that the growth of the economy makes: "I do Not believe that if the fixássemos in 1000 euros this would represent anything that would make someone rich."

Why is it that we should not set the minimum wage in 1000 euros? Or about 1000 euros? Because it wants to salary, either pension, are paid by the economy, in some cases by companies and other by companies and by the assets", he said.

The ex-prime minister argued that, if there are "wages are too high, companies will have to have outcomes that enable them to support those wages, without losing competitiveness and ability to grow in the future."

it is Unlikely the economy can sustain increases in incomes in the home of the 10 to 15% if not more, as is being promised by the end of the legislature," he said.

Passos Coelho spoke to reporters during a visit to the 11.Th edition of the ” Portugal Exporter', an event organised in the Congress Centre of Lisbon, Fundação AIP, Novo Banco and AICEP Portugal Global, with the objective of stimulating the internationalisation of the Portuguese economy.