The remunerations of young employees and apprentices in Spain did not comply with the European Social Charter during the period between 2018 and 2022, despite increases in the minimum wage at that time. The European Committee of Social Rights published a report today, Wednesday, in which it points out that, despite the increases recorded at that stage in Spain, it has not been possible to demonstrate that the minimum wage can guarantee “a decent standard of living.”
Therefore, the remuneration of young workers is not considered fair. In the case of apprentices, this body of experts from the Council of Europe insists that, despite its insistent demands, it has not been able to get the Spanish authorities to give it information on the minimum levels of remuneration at the beginning and end of their internships. . .
30% lower than the minimum for an adult employee
According to these experts, workers aged 15 and 16 can receive remuneration up to 30% lower than the minimum wage for an adult worker and up to 20% lower in the case of those aged 16 to 18. However, the condition is that the adult’s reference salary is of a sufficient level, and that means at least 60% of the country’s average salary, in accordance with the parameters of the European Social Charter.
In Spain, workers under 18 years of age have to be paid like adults, but the problem is that at least until 2021 the minimum wage was only 49% of the average wage. The authors of the report confirm that, between 2018 and 2022, the minimum wage was revalued by 35.9% and that with the 2021 labor reform, the rule was developed that, in the absence of a collective agreement, remuneration cannot be in the first year. of contract less than 60% of the level of the equivalent professional group and 75% in the second.
However, in the absence of information on effective minimum thresholds with which to compare, the committee concludes that apprentice remuneration continues to breach the European Social Charter.
