According to STATEC’s calculations, the next index tranche should be taking place in June - however, it will now be offset by tax credits. On Friday, the director of the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, Serge Allegrezza, was summoned to the Chamber to discuss the issue with the tripartite parliamentary committee.
Recently, discussions were sparked after STATEC decided to revise its inflation forecasts upward, just after the tripartite agreement was signed. Despite higher inflation, the measures agreed should be sufficient to compensate for the loss in purchasing power this year, Allegrezza told RTL on Friday morning. However, he pointed out that it was difficult to predict developments in the situation for winter 2022.
It would seem the trade unions are no longer being called to the special committee, according to DP president Gilles Baum. Baum explained there would be no further negotiations in the Chamber, but the agreement reached previously with the social partners would be legally implemented. However, the committee is still due to hear from the chambers of commerce, as well as the official opinion from the Council of State.
The Chamber of Employees rejected the bill in their official response, following the tripartite agreement at the end of March. The CSL said the tax credits would not be enough to compensate for delaying the index tranche, and that a number of employees and pensioners would lose purchasing power as a result.
The votes within the CSL reflect the division of the trade union front: 41 elected members of the CSL opposed the tripartite’s measures, while 19 were in favour. The official response states that the LCGB’s minority position approved the bill on tripartite measures.
Within the ranks of the LSAP, individual members are now also expressing their disagreement with the measures. Longtime LSAP members Nando Pasqualoni and Nico Wennmacher said they did not share the opinion of the LSAP leaders and called upon party colleagues in the Chamber to vote against the law implementing the tripartite measures.
