About 9.5 million Spanish workers suffer high energy costs by spending 38 days of their salary on annual expenses
If paying utility bills at the end of the month was difficult for some 9.5 million Spanish workers before this uncontrolled escalation of inflation arrived, it has now become an almost impossible task for many, as they have 38 days of must allocate his salary to pay the annual costs of electricity and gas, according to a report published this Wednesday by CC OO.
Gas and electricity prices rose 38% in July compared to last year across Europe and continue to rise, seemingly unchecked. This has resulted in the lowest-paid workers in most EU member states having to allocate more than a month of their salary to pay the average annual energy bill, according to a study by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), the center’s independent research committee. of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). In addition, the number of countries now requiring the equivalent of a monthly salary or more for home lighting and heating has doubled, from eight states in 2021 to 16 today.
In addition, the number of days a person has to work with the minimum wage to pay their energy bills has increased significantly in some countries: Estonia (+26), Netherlands (+20), Czech Republic (+17), Latvia (+16 ). In four countries – Slovakia, Greece, the Czech Republic and Italy – the average annual energy bill is currently more than a month’s wages for a minimum-wage worker.
“The crisis facing workers is exacerbated by new increases in energy prices and other essential needs, such as food, which have been produced in the meantime,” the union led by Unai Sordo denounced.
For all these reasons, the ETUC calls on European leaders to “act with determination to end unsustainable increases in energy prices”, in particular through wage increases to cover inflation increases and to ensure that workers get a fair share of productivity gains.
In addition, it proposes to put a limit on the amount of energy bills and a tax on excessive profits of energy companies, as has already been done in Spain. It also calls for emergency aid for people struggling to pay their energy bills and a ban on disconnections.
Finally, it proposes stimulating investment to address the root causes of the crisis, such as insufficient investment in green energy and the consequences of privatisation.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
