"if the belt no longer fits, you can no longer tighten the belt"
Major staff shortages in student transport mean that children often have to deal with long waiting times or unnecessarily long in the taxi. SP citizen councilor in Amstelveen Wil Roode pointed out to our editors that a cheaper provider is not always the solution for people with disabilities who depend on transport. A signal to municipalities that tenders urgently need to be revised. Cheaper taxis are the basis for low wages for drivers and, as Wil Roode shows on her Twitter account, “if the belt no longer fits, you can no longer tighten the belt”.
Many companies from different sectors do not have enough staff. It is striking that these are sectors where wages have hardly been allowed to rise in recent years. They are now the hardest hit. Hospitality, taxi companies, courier services, construction, healthcare, employees working for baggage handlers and shop assistants in the retail sector are some examples where wages are bad. More and more people on or around the minimum wage in those sectors can hardly make ends meet and are looking for other jobs that are now easily found.
In the past, they earned just enough money for rent, health insurance and groceries, but not enough to cover unexpected costs such as a broken washing machine or the children's school trip. This group is therefore one of the first to feel the financial consequences of the price increase in the supermarket or at the pump. That while the Netherlands is extremely prosperous. The fact that the rich are getting richer is not an empty slogan: in 2018, no less than half of all capital growth went to the richest 1%.
“Temporary workers are often pumped around for years in the most precarious contracts, never knowing when to work and how much they earn.”
"the minimum wage should go to €14."
Prosperity in our country has been growing since the 20s. Our labor productivity – the amount of work we get done in an hour – has halved. But not everyone benefits from that. People on minimum wages have lost XNUMX% of purchasing power in recent years. Because a large part of the income is spent on rent and fixed costs, there is hardly any money left for other expenses, according to research of the Nibud.
That is why the minimum wage should be reduced to €14. It will not only benefit the working people: the income of people on benefits and AOW will also increase as a result, because it is linked to the level of the minimum wage. As a result, all 1,3 million Dutch people who now live in poverty will benefit. In this way we also ensure that the gap between rich and poor does not grow any further.
The consequences of a fair distribution of wealth go much further than can be captured in a purchasing power picture. A highly unequal society is a breeding ground for division and populism. While we should not allow ourselves to be pitted against each other: a minimum wage of €14 is important for everyone, regardless of your origin, age or gender. The movement For 14 will not be divided. They stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone who wants to fight for a higher minimum wage.
Will Roode
SP citizen councilor in Amstelveen Wil Roode fights against poverty and fights for a fair distribution of income. In addition to an intense career at the Amsterdam Amstelland Regional Police as a detective and police negotiator, she has always volunteer work did and still does. Standing up for people with a minimum income who are not self-reliant is her motivation. In 2021 Roode got it FNV Silver pat on the back† She received the prize in appreciation of her commitment to fair treatment of people in poverty and on social assistance benefits.
