u/polski_obserwator

I was thinking about how to compare the cost of living in relation to earnings in different countries and cities in Europe. The Numbeo website gives data on the cost of living, but when it comes to earnings, it gives an average. The problem with the average is that it is much higher than the median and does not reflect the earnings of a typical working-class representative. The working class itself is also a lot of professions - with better or worse pay.

It's hard to choose just one profession that would serve as a reliable benchmark or measure of certain socioeconomic phenomena. It is difficult to find a universal one that is exactly the same in every country. However, I believe that a city bus driver is a good example of a member of the real working class. Additionally, it is an incredibly common profession, present in every major city, regardless of the country.

No matter if you are in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Vienna, or Madrid, the job is essentially the same: it requires a specific professional license, involves high responsibility for passengers' lives, shifting schedules, high stress levels, and dealing with city traffic. Because of this, it serves as an excellent point of comparison for the actual purchasing power and living standards of the working class across Europe.

Here is how the situation looks in Poland:

City	Population	Gross monthly earnings	Net monthly earnings
Warszawa	1 862 402	8300 PLN (1963 EUR)	5988 PLN (1416 EUR)
Wrocław	673 531	7420 PLN (1755 EUR)	5388 PLN (1274 EUR)
Łódź	648 711	8450 PLN (1998 EUR)	6090 PLN (1440 EUR)
Bydgoszcz	324 984	5330 PLN (1260 EUR)	3963 PLN (937 EUR)
Gniezno	63 143	5800 PLN (1372 EUR)	4283 PLN (1013 EUR)

The minimum salary in Poland is 4806 PLN (1137 EUR) gross, 3606 PLN (853 EUR) net.

I'm curious how the strength and relevance of trade unions differs across Europe. In some countries they still seem to play a major role in negotiations and protecting workers' rights, while in others their influence appears to have declined significantly over the years.

I'm from Poland, where trade unions have a particularly interesting history. The "Solidarity" (Solidarność) movement, founded in 1980, was far more than just a trade union - it played a crucial role in bringing down communism in Poland and arguably helped trigger the fall of communist regimes across Central and Eastern Europe. It was a massive, powerful movement that united millions of workers.

Yet today, trade unions in Poland seem to be largely marginalized. Their membership has dropped dramatically, and for most workers - especially in the private sector - they are practically invisible. It's quite a striking contrast when you think about how important they once were.

https://old.meteo.pl/komentarze/index1.php