Danish parliament rejects EU minimum wage directive

12 comments
  1. The minimum wage is a terrible policy that makes everyone’s life harder. Instead certain social conditions should be guaranteed – healthcare, education, food and drink, etc. through programs that can be reasonably malleable depending on the area.

    So basically, based Denmark.

  2. **EU MEMBERS** — no, thank you. We don’t want political union and a federal EU

    **EU** — What’s that? You wanted minimum wage and union legislation.

    Brrrrr

  3. >A legal minimum wage is generally an unpopular concept in Danish politics because it clashes with the country’s traditional labour model, in which wages are determined through collective bargaining agreements between trade unions and employer representation. That is facilitated by a high kevel of union membership.

    >“I can understand that other countries are concerned about what is going on on their labour markets with low wages where people can’t live a dignified life,

    >“But we have found a better model in Denmark and it is worth protecting and it must not be destroyed by a common European directive,” the minister said.

    Based Denmark

  4. This makes sense. The way wage is negotiated in Denmark is far superior to any state mandated minimum wage system, which will quickly become a maximum wage system.

    Negotiations between the parties leads to higher wages but also takes the market into account and sometimes they actually negotiate down so that everyone can keep their jobs.

  5. ITT: People critisize Danish policies without understanding the Danish labour model or why it’s a beautiful political accomplishment worth preserving.

  6. I want to press the concern that there might be a better model than minimum wages AND the current Nordic systems.

    Restrictions on price is an extremely simplistic economic policy. There are a bunch of other stuff countries could try out. My favourite policy would be negative income tax. Why restrict low income jobs, when you can increase their payoff by removing all their taxes instead.

    Also there is a bunch of questions as at what level bargaining can happen that is restricted in Finnish law, which is debated all the time.

  7. Are there any studies about the relations of minimum wage and unions and their effect on labour markets? There are lots of definitive opinions on both sides but my impression is that it looks like a complex issue.

Leave a Reply