The commission of experts designated by the Ministry of Labor has already concluded its report on the increase in the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI). It was about updating his previous work, incorporating the most recent data on salaries and also the impact of inflation. As a result, what the report proposes is to increase the minimum interprofessional salary next year from the current 1,000 euros per month (in 14 payments) in a range that goes from the minimum 1,046 euros to the maximum 1,082.
The report, to which La Vanguardia has had access, proposes four scenarios, ranging from an increase of 4.6% and resulting in an SMI of 1,046 euros; to the increase of 5.4% (1,054 euros;, increase of 6.6% (1,066 euros); and finally the high band, the increase of 8.2%, (1,082 euros). The high band of the SMI of this recommendation it was advanced by El País, which, however, pointed to a lower band than the one included in the report.
The report has not been unanimously signed by the experts, but only by nine of its members. The two members appointed by the Ministries of Economy and Finance have stood out by proposing lower estimates that have not been collected by the commission as a whole.
The report also points out that when choosing between the options, it should be taken into account that the calculation for 2023 is made taking as reference the estimate of the average salary of 202 and not that of 2023, which “can reasonably be expected to be higher”. . It also points out that the price increase in 2022 has a greater impact on the lowest income groups, among which are the recipients of the SMI.
It also states that “the current rise in the SMI should not significantly affect the behavior of employment.” He argues this based on the fact that the increases in the minimum wage at the international level, and those of the increase in Spain in 2019 up to 900 euros, have had a marginal impact on employment growth, “reducing in the worst case in a very their increase has not been very intense, while they have contributed to reducing poverty and inequality”.
The report points out that the increase in the exempt minimum in 2023 to 15,000 euros will allow the increase in the SMI to imply smaller increases, slightly more than half of the gross SMI, which implies a partial transfer of the cost of the increase in the minimum wage from companies to the public Treasury.
The committee of experts also recommends reviewing the evolution of the SMI six months after it was updated, to assess its adequacy in an inflationary context. It is a possibility that article 27 of the Workers’ Statute allows, but that has never been done so far.
With this report, the Ministry of Labor will be able to summon the social agents to negotiate this rise in the SMI. The unions will demand to go to the high band, at 1,082 euros, although their claim is to be at 1,100. This same morning, the general secretary of the CC.OO., Unai Sordo, has stated that they will not accept staying in the range of 1,030 euros. It will be more difficult to convince employers who emphasize that in recent years, the SMI has increased by more than 33%, and that a new increase will mean labor costs that are difficult to accept.
