Capitalism as a system does not know a lower limit of the remuneration of human labour. It always seeks either to reduce directly the wages or to extend more indirectly the working hours with little or no wage adjustment in order to reduce the costs.
Employment relationships are becoming more and more precarious in almost all European countries. Especially women and immigrant workers are affected by social and wage dumping.
This is why we, the network of left trade unionists in and close to the European Left Party, consider it absolutely necessary to establish a number of minimum social standards.
We call upon the Left Group in the European Parliament and the European Left Party to support these requirements. We, on our part, will work in our parties and trade unions to assert the implementation of these positions.
Minimum wages
We stand for the introduction of legally fixed minimum wages or the general application of salary schemes in collective agreements in all European countries. Such legally binding minimum wages, are to be in accordance with the EU Social Charter. Thus, they have to be equal to at least sixty percent of a country’s average income which also applies for immigrant workers and “guest” workers.
Furthermore, we struggle for minimum wages that significantly have be above the poverty line of each member state of the EU. Minimum wages should guarantee a respectable life for all workers; they include a strong content of social policies that safeguard the right of high quality standards and public education, public medical care and other social services.
Working hours
On an average, the weekly working hours permitted by law, shall not exceed 40 hours. All EU rules and national regulations on working hours which exceed this limit have to be changed accordingly. We struggle for a 35-hour week on a European level as the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and other national trade unions require it in their programmes.
Retirement
In general, we stand for a statutory retirement age of 60 years. National legislations permitting an earlier retirement age have to be defended. We are strictly opposed to any regulations seeking for the extension of working life. Thus, we struggle for appropriate public security pensions for everybody that has to be above the poverty line of each European country.
Representation of wage earners' interests
Capital is operating Europe-wide. As for company strategies there are no national borders. Hence, the representation of wage earners' interests on the European level has to be developed. Thus, European workers committees are one of the adequate means to achieve this aim.

Freedom of strike
The trade unions’ inalienable freedom of strike, including the political strike and the free development of independent trade unions, have to be guaranteed in all countries of Europe. Our network is involved in all spheres of trade union activities that fight for the freedom of Pan-European strikes in order to create a common legal basis for all wage earners as well as for the unemployed, the youth, women and immigrants in Europe.
Ensuring the future of our youth
The future belongs to the youth! All young people living in Europe have to have the right to get a job whose wage enables them to maintain an adequate standard of living and to participate appropriately in the social and cultural life. To fulfill this aim, young people need to have access to an education that is free of charge and of a high quality.What they do not need are low level internships and further education of a bad quality. We refuse the young generations of coming under threat from precariousness concerning all aspects of life and existence.
Health and safety
We support the decisions taken on the occasion of the EL-Congress in Prague and the Barcelona Charter of Precariousness and Health.
Furthermore, we have to develop plans and proposals for the EL's European Campaign (European caravan) against precariousness, job insecurity and flexicurity. In addition to this, we also have to recommend seminars for the next European Social Forum in Sweden.
Vienna, 2 February 2007