The Group of Ten, a group made up of representatives of the employers’ federations and the trades union, has urged Prime Minister Bart De Wever to postpone the parliamentary vote on the so-called "centenindex" arguing that complete budgetary clarity is needed first.
Under the government’s plan, automatic wage indexation would be capped twice, as a one-off measure, during this legislative term for salaries exceeding €4,000 gross. However, the social partners have criticised the plan as overly complex and suggest modifying the index calculation.
The "centenindex" is part of the ruling Coalition's budget savings, which was scheduled for a vote in Parliament this week. Last month, the Group of Ten proposed an alternative to the centenindex, but the prime minister dismissed the suggestion
In their letter, the Group of Ten referenced a new report from the Federal Planning Bureau, which highlighted the need for more time to assess the complete budgetary picture.
To address this, the social partners propose that the Planning Bureau and the National Social Security Office (RSZ) be tasked with quickly clarifying the budgetary situation. They have expressed willingness to collaborate with the government on finding a solution for the private sector should any financial issues arise.
Pending further clarity, the Group of Ten has called for the parliamentary vote on the centenindex to be postponed to avoid jeopardising prospects for a joint solution. They have also indicated their readiness for prompt discussions with the government to resolve the matter.
