Minimum Wage Increase 2026: Who Gets a Raise & How Much?

okay, I understand. Here’s a summary of the key information from the provided text, focusing on the process of determining the minimum wage for 2026 in Poland:

Council of Ministers’ Proposal: The Council of ministers proposes a minimum wage amount to the Social Dialog Council (RDS).
RDS Consultation: The RDS has a period to express its opinion on the proposal (in this case, until July 15, 2025).
Non-Binding Opinion: The RDS’s opinion is not legally binding on the government.
No Agreement Scenario: If the RDS fails to reach an agreement by the deadline (July 15th), the Council of Ministers will determine the minimum wage and hourly rate by regulation, to be issued by September 15th. The amount set by the Council of Ministers cannot be lower than the amount initially proposed to the RDS.
Council of Ministers’ Final Decision: The Council of Ministers makes the final decision and publishes the relevant ordinance in mid-September. 2026 Minimum wage Process: The process for determining the minimum wage for 2026 will follow the same pattern. RDS Impasse: The RDS meeting on July 11th failed to produce a consensus on the 2026 minimum wage.
Trade Union Position: Trade unions (represented by OPZZ) proposed a minimum wage increase to at least PLN 5,015 (a 7.48% increase).
Employer Position: Employer organizations (BCC, lewiatan Confederation, etc.) proposed a much smaller increase, resulting in a minimum wage not exceeding PLN 4,716 (based on the current Act’s calculation).
lack of Common Ground: The social partners (trade unions and employers) failed to reach a common position.

In essence,the text describes a situation where the social partners are far apart on the minimum wage for 2026,making it likely that the council of Ministers will ultimately decide the amount.