Analytics, Direct Speech, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Markets and Companies, Wages

According to Mäggi, in 2007, a simple waste management company was looking for waste truck drivers and offered salary worth 2,000 euros a month, however, there was no one willing to fill in this position. The situation has changed since then. Today, waste truck drivers' wages are much lower. The simple truth is that if you are paid very good wages, even unpleasant jobs including that of transporting waste become tolerable.

Average wages in Estonia are too low, that keeps purchasing power down and causes social tension.

Salaries are so low because the work is too cheap. Wages and prices are directly linked.

"I hope that the next general elections will be won by the party who can create jobs so that wealth of Estonians continues to grow," said the expert.

Estonia's average wealth is 21,000 euros, while the average for Finns is 113,000 euros. In Luxembourg, the average is 215,000 euros, or ten times the Estonian level.

The specialist recommended residents of Estonia to ask for maximum wages, and trigger export growth, start saving and accumulate wealth.

As reported, a poll carried out by KPMG showed that 76 percent of entrepreneurs in Estonia are planning to raise their employees' wages this year.

In the year-on-year comparison, this indicator has risen significantly, as in 2012 the same poll indicated that 57% of entrepreneurs had similar plans. In 2011, this number was 43%.

At the same time, most enterprises are planning a rather modest pay rise: that of up to 4.9%.