Union wants Luxembourg lunch voucher value increase

A Luxembourg union wants the value of lunch vouchers to be increased in line with the cost of rising prices in Luxembourg.

The LCGB-ESFS has written to Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna asking for the law to be adapted so the value can be raised to 12 euros so as not to dent the purchasing power of employees.

Current “chèque-repas” or meal vouchers are valued at 8.40 euros, a figure which is calculated based on the average cost of a canteen meal (2.8 euros) multiplied by three.

But, the union says that 8.40 euros does not buy much in Luxembourg. It said in a press release: “This average value for a meal, however, has not been seen for many years and is below the reality. The amount in question has in fact been adopted once, in May 1994 (re-evaluation of 22.22 percent). Then, during the conversion to euro, it grew by 2.75 percent.”

The union points out that over the same period, the country has seen the price index, a calculation applied by catering firms to canteen prices, grow by 44 percent.

“On the one hand , the average reference value which is fixed by law for a meal in a canteen does not stick to reality. On the other hand , it seems difficult today to find a restaurant in town where you can take a meal and a drink for a price of 8.40 euros,” the union said.

It concluded its press release saying that increasing the value of meal vouchers is particularly important given the current economic climate.