The leader of the React Include Reciclar (RIR) party list on Wednesday said wage convergence in the European Union (EU) could lead to young Portuguese emigrating out of choice rather than necessity.
“Many of our young people finish their courses and emigrate in search of better salaries. If we manage to reach the level of wages in the EU, not only the minimum, but also the average, we will prevent this emigration, and only those who want to emigrate will emigrate. And not out of necessity,” said Marcia Henriques before a meeting with representatives of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Lisbon.
The RIR candidate considered it important to “achieve convergence in terms of wages for working hours, an issue in which there is great inequality between Member States.”