Former Urkullu counselor calls for wages to rise based on inflation and improve pension policies
- The former Labour Advisor of the Basque Government, Ángel Toña, in an interview in the Basque Country Irratia, argued that corporate dividends should be distributed not only among shareholders but also among workers: "We have poor entrepreneurs, and it must be made clear that politicians cannot take care of them alone."
In the second legislature of Iñigo Urkullu, Ángel Toña was Minister of Labor and Social Policies, who previously disqualified for not obeying the order of a judge paralyzing several liquidations in business and commercial matters. They ask about the political and economic situation and the future of Toña, already retired in the Faktoria program of the Basque Country Irratia, and he opposes what is advocated by the current government of Urkullu, emphasizing that it is not worth raising wages below inflation.
Toña points out that the companies of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa have "in general" profits between 5% and 10%, while wages have "only" increased by an average of 3%. Those included in IBEX 35, for example, have earned 22% revenue in a single year. Well, despite the fact that lehendakari Urkullu and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Pedro Azpiazu, have almost always said that wages cannot rise according to the CPI in the last year, Toña believes that it should be done: "Politicians, employers and trade unions are saying great lies, and politicians must be clearly told that it is not worth just caring for companies." He also pointed out that in German metal wages have risen by 8.5% and in CAPV only 3%.
Penalising retirement with low pensions for not having a good job option
It also talks about the need to distribute dividends to workers based on corporate profits: "Most companies are much better than 10 years ago. Its managers have gained much more than inflation in a single year and the workers have not, so I say that we have to change the character of the company. If they distribute dividends among shareholders, why not with the workers? ". Toña asks for increases depending on the CPI and is "happy" that pensions rise with that reference.
Negative tax idea
The idea of a hypothetical negative income tax has been put on the table in the same dialogue by former advisor Toña, as a method to combat poverty, as paid to the Treasury, and also to be able to collect. Speak for unconditional income: "Those with a high wage are required to pay taxes, contributions and goods. From there we should all receive adequate retirement and unconditional income. That's the way to make a welfare society; we have to go to that."
According to Toña, the first tests were carried out in Sweden and Belgium and defended its proper functioning. "When we are older we have other needs and satisfy them is our right. Having a good job or not over the course of a lifetime, that should not condition," he stressed, and he also stressed that quoting a lot means that a lot of money is made and many do not have that opportunity. According to the former counselor, "it is not appropriate to penalize when you do not have a good job opportunity and you get to retirement".
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