In recent years, the government has been defending an increase Minimum inter -professional salary (SMI) as one of the main tools of economic policy. The increase used since 2019 sets the minimum wage threshold 61% higher, where Pedro Sanchez was reached by the presidency of the government. This impulse directly affects collective negotiations and began change the distribution of the wages of collective agreementsIn which modifications of wage accessories (in performance, languages, accessibility or seniority) gained weight against increasing the basic salary.
This is one of the conclusions that Eurofound Economists publishes, the European Union, which presents leaders, employers and trade unions. Researchers have recently published an analysis in which they consider the influence of SMI in France, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain with an accent on Production industry of food and drinks, as well as social assistance and home attentionTo obtain a decrease in wages.
“The general trend observed in both sectors and in most countries is the growing relevance of bonus and salary accessories, They approached collective negotiations, often negotiations at the company’s level from the increase in the national minimum wage, ”the authors say. In Spain. In Spain. Basic wage was usually far from SMIBut since this distance was reduced in various agreements, the companies decided to increase the salary to ensure that real wages are supported above the minimum legal reward.
Although the organization does not provide detailed data on countries, this assessment is consistent with the fact that the basic wage (understood as the amount perceived by the employee for the development of his activity before the retention is applied or certain additions are added), they grow less than what the minimum wage makes. The amount of a set of salary concepts (basic salary and pluses) You must comply with the link marked by the government every year (SMI), therefore, companies prefer to make adjustments in accessories that can be absorbed in the future if an increase in wages is agreed.
The representative of the Spanish employer, with whom he consulted in connection with the transfer of Eurofound, often the trade unions themselves contribute to this practice and do not want to sign an increase from the basic wage in exchange for reducing accessories, since some of them, such as seniority, cannot be compensated or absorbed when they are discussed in the tables of wages that collect basic wages fee. Although UGT and CCOO were condemned in the latest SMI negotiations that this is a common practice of the private sector, which means that workers who are immediately located above this link do not perceive improvement to increase SMI.
In fact, this problem was included in the agreement, with the help of which an increase of 4.4% was agreed by 2025, was closed. Trade Unions called on the government to consider the “criteria for applying compensation and absorption as a result of an increase in SMI”, with which they open the opportunity that could be The basic salary must correspond to this minimum rewardSince both trade union organizations are unpleasant with statements about justice that closed the path to this opportunity. And business sources consulted for granted that this is the end that they are looking for with negotiations. This aspect will be discussed at the negotiation table initiated for the transposition of the European Directive on the minimum wage and that it is planned to meet again today.
In addition to the problems of wages, these increase in SMI compress the margin, which negotiators have when closing a new collective agreement. In the assistance sector and home aid, the actors admit that Consent to other working conditions was extended Like shifts, a day or accessories not related to the salary, but that this increase complicated it, so the business part expects that the conflict will be pointed with representatives of the workers.
Wage compression effect
The study states that in Spain both business organizations and the main trade unions confirm that as a result of this strong increase, the effect of compression of wages occurred. This means that any lower professional groups are the only ones who experience Reduction of differences between liability levels which reduces incentives for increasing the category.
This problem began between professionals from the same category with various levels of antiquity, so the authors collect that companies “face pressure to apply a similar increase in all categories”, which is impossible for most companies. At the same time, they explain that this trend began to create problems among the employees themselves, that they see how The gap between their salary and those who accept partners from lower categories. The process that leads often refers to the fact that the increase in the minimum wage later reflects in the entire wage table, although economists explain that this has not happened until now, and that is why this intensive compression is appreciated.
