Astenion
Spiritus Draconis
40
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Posted - 2011.10.31 01:18:00 -
[2] - Quote
AlleyKat wrote:Grimpak wrote: wage in some countries is paid monthly.
in greece and my country, portugal, the 14 wages per year means that you get paid once per month (12) + vacation bonus (1) + christmas bonus (1), thus the 14 wages per year.
and before you throw Portugal to the mix, keep in mind that minimum wage here is 485Gé¼, and nearly half of the active population gets a wage that is in the 485-700Gé¼ range.
Was not aware of that...sounds weird that people get a bonus when they take vacation. So, Gé¼485 x 14 = the minimum annual salary? Then you got taxes to take off that?
It's not a bonus; it's just paid vacation. Europeans get paid once a month and typically get a 13th paycheck IF they've got a fixed, open-ended contract. If they're freelance or work contracts for only a specific amount of time, this does not apply. The 14th paycheck is ridiculous and just plain idiotic in a place like Greece. Norway, sure...they've got money coming out of their ears, but Greece has been struggling for a long time. Mediterranean climates make people not give a **** anymore.
No, 485 euros is not the minimum annual salary, although it varies in different places. It's probably lower in Greece due to it being cheaper to live there, but not that cheap, and no, that's usually after taxes.
Living in Europe is a lot like being in the military...at least it seems like that for me (I was in the USAF before moving here). You don't make tons of money unless you're already wealthy but you don't waste it on crap like health insurance, exorbitant college fees, and basic human **** that people shouldn't be making money off of. Yes, the taxes are higher but it tends to even out and even comes out ahead for Europeans when factoring in all the bullshit we have to pay for through the nose in the states. In the end, I may make less per year here but I still have a bit more left over at the end of the month as long as I live within my means.
That said, it's not perfect by any means. The constraints put upon corps by their respective governments in terms of employee entitlements strangles any growth or creation of jobs because they simply can't afford to give everyone 14 paychecks, 35 days per year paid vacation, and guaranteed job contracts. Therefore, they hire fewer people.
There is definitely reason to be upset over the economy here in western Europe, but a lot of it is because most people here have never truly suffered or had to do without. They want everything and don't understand that it has to come from somewhere. They want to be paid like we're paid in the states, but they don't wanna be fired like we can get fired. They want the big house and the new car but they can't seem to fathom NOT having 30 days per year for vacation and guaranteed jobs. While some of it may be legitimate, from what I've noticed, most of it is just whining because they can't have everything they want.
It's no different in the states. People there want the benefits we have here but don't wanna pay the extra 10% taxes to get it because taxes are for communists and thieves , and they'd enslave their children with their own debt as long as they can get new rims for the car and a bigger tv than the one they had last month. Just to show off to their friends, of course...not because they needed it or anything. |