Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Ben Gurion Airport airspace sut down following missile launch from Yemen
Israeli media: Air raid sirens sound in the central region and Hashfala following the detection of a missile launch from Yemen
SDF announces the killing of three of its members as a result of ISIS cells detonating a landmine targeting a vehicle of a security patrol on the Hasaka-Raqqa road
The Popular Resistance Committees: We call on all international institutions to take urgent action and uphold their responsibilities by restoring and immediately enforcing effective mechanisms for the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The Popular Resistance Committees: The latest Zio-American crime against Gaza’s starving civilians constitutes a war crime, for which the US administration bears full and direct responsibility.
Gaza Media Office: Bloody spectacle shows that these zones have become collective death traps rather than aid distribution zones.
Gaza Media Office: Dozens of citizens are still surrounded under constant fire in the vicinity of the "aid station."
Gaza Media Office: As soon as citizens arrived, occupation and Americans opened direct fire on them.
Gaza Media Office: Occupation, in complicity with the US company, called on citizens to move toward Wadi Gaza Bridge, claiming that aid would be distributed.
Gaza Government Media Office: Occupation set a bloody trap at bridge of Wadi Gaza, luring thousands of starved civilians, and opened fire on them.

EU unions: Low-income Europeans cannot afford energy bills

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 6 Sep 2022 20:12
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The continued sanctions on Russia are further worsening the energy situation in the EU, with some low-income families becoming unable to afford energy bills, according to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

  • x
  • EU unions: low-income Europeans cannot afford energy bills
    Increasing electricity and gas bills are becoming unaffordable for low-paid Europeans, as per an ETUC study.

A study conducted for the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has found that increasing electricity and gas bills are becoming unaffordable for low-paid Europeans, costing them more than a month's wages for low-paid workers in the majority of EU member states, with more energy prices hikes to be witnessed likely in coming months unless government action is taken.

According to the study, an estimated 9.5 million employed people had difficulties paying their energy bills before the energy crisis began. The cost of gas and electricity had risen by 38% across Europe in comparison with last year, and it continues to soar.

The number of days a person earning the minimum wage has to work to pay their energy bill has risen dramatically in some countries, such as Estonia (+26), Netherlands (+20), Czechia (+17), and Latvia (+16).

That means Estonian workers earning the minimum wage have to work an additional 26 days to pay for their annual energy bill. 

"When your bill costs over a month's wages, there's no clever money-saving trick that will make a difference," ETUC Deputy General Secretary Esther Lynch said in a statement, adding, "These prices are now simply unaffordable for millions of people."

🚨 NEW: The average annual energy bill is now more than a month’s pay for minimum wage workers in the majority of EU member states:

🇫🇷🇷🇴🇭🇺 costs 30 days' pay
🇩🇪 33
🇵🇹 35
🇧🇬🇮🇪 36
🇧🇪🇱🇻🇭🇷 37
🇪🇸 38
🇸🇰 45
🇳🇱 48
🇬🇷🇪🇪 54
🇨🇿 65

It’s time for fair wage rises and a cap on energy prices

— EUROPEAN TRADE UNIONS (@etuc_ces) September 6, 2022

ETUC urged European leaders "to take decisive action to end Europe's unsustainable energy price rises" ahead of their meeting next week. It called on EU leaders to install price caps on energy bills for consumers and make targeted payments to low-wage workers struggling with energy bills.

The group also called for other anti-crisis measures to protect incomes and jobs, as well as increases to minimum wages, and urged EU countries to support collective bargaining so other workers may obtain wage hikes. It also called on European nations to tax windfall profits made by energy companies.

Read more: Euro slides to 20-year low against the dollar

Related News

EU delays exit proposal from Russian energy amid geopolitical shifts

EU split over Russian gas comeback in war talks: FT

In response to the war in Ukraine, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign aimed, in particular, at Russian energy resources.

Groceries and food are other sectors experiencing the aftermath of soaring inflation which saw prices skyrocketing across the EU. 

The temporary halt of gas flows in the Nord Stream pipeline has been frequent since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in February.

In the UK, it was reported that 60% of factories are at extreme risk of shutting down as energy costs across the country continue to skyrocket, with electricity bills surging by more than 100% over the past year. 

In Germany, inflation rose to almost 8% in August after declining slightly in the months of June and July. It is predicted that millions of  German lower-income households will find it hard to pay their energy bills due to gas prices. 

In France, supplies of Russian gas have been halted since last week due to non-payment for July in full.

Since the G7 agreed on imposing a price cap on Russian oil on September 2, the flow of gas has completely stopped, although Gazprom has reported that this was a temporary maintenance issue.

Russia has indeed stated that it will stop exporting Russian oil to European states that are applying the decision. 

As a result, experts have said that the gas situation is likely to worsen in the EU.

Read more: China to pay for Russian gas in yuan, rubles: Gazprom

  • European Trade Union Confederation
  • Energy crisis
  • European Union
  • Russian oil
  • Russian Gas

Most Read

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS