Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday his cabinet would approve next week a 22 per cent increase in the monthly minimum wage to 1,050 euros ($1,192) in 2019.
The increase, “the biggest since 1977”, will be submitted to a cabinet meeting in Barcelona on December 21, he told parliament.
The measure was part of his minority Socialist government’s draft 2019 budget which he is struggling to pass in parliament so it will now be approved by decree.
The announcement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled Monday a 100-euro ($113) per month increase in the minimum wage from next year in a major concession to “yellow vest” protests which have roiled the country.
After years of austerity policies imposed to cope with the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, governments are under increasing pressure to ease the purse strings, especially for the lower paid.
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