SOPK, Klub 500 against unions' minimum wage hike proposal

Representatives of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SOPK) and Klub 500, an association of companies with more than 500 employees, at a press conference on Wednesday expressed their opposition to a hike in the minimum wage to 635 euros per month, as proposed by trade unions, arguing that the hike would take place at a time when the performance of the euro zone is slowing down and that the future of the open Slovak economy was unclear. They said the minimum wage should be raised to 552 euros in line with the minimum wage law. At the same time, they are of the opinion that the non-taxable portion of the tax base should be made equal to the level of the minimum wage. SOPK and Klub 500 representatives noted that if the minimum wage were raised to 635 euros, it would be more than a 20 percent leap compared to the current level.