Sometimes footnotes contain the darndest things.

If you wanted to see why European-style socialism is under such extreme financial pressure -- and is in large part unsustainable over the long term -- take a gander at these footnotes to the "review of minimum wage rates" at the Federation of European Employers Web site, which a reader sent along.

First, note that Austria, Greece, Portugal, and Spain all mandate that certain employees receive 14 months of pay per year: (emphasis added)

NOTES:
[1] Where official rates are expressed by the hour or week, they have been converted to monthly rates on the basis of a 40-hour week and 52-week year. Minimum wage figures are gross (pre-tax) rates and exclude any 13th or 14th month payments that may be due under national legislation, collective agreements, custom or practice.
[2] Austria: applies to certain industry sectors. Applicable to all sectors from 01.01.2009. Employees are entitled to 14 mothly [sic] payments each year.
...
[5] Greece, Portugal, Spain: white-collar workers only. Workers normally entitled to 14 monthly payments per year.

If you wanted to see why central planning is so onerous, note the complications mandated by various European central governments with regard to the minimum wage, and take a gander at some of these national regulations -- starting with the infamous work week in France:

[6] France: based on statutory 35-hour week.

In Greece, the minimum wage is different depending on your job, how long you've worked, and your marital status:

[9] Greece: Different rates apply to blue and white collar workers and vary by length of service and marital status.

In Hungary, the minimum wage has five different categories:

[10] Hungary: the minimum wage is 20% higher than the basic national minimum for those with secondary or vocational education but under two years' experience, and 25% higher for those with at least two years' experience or older than 50 years of age. Employees with university-level education are entitled to a minimum wage that is 60% higher than the basic national minimum.

In Malta, there are over 25 different classifications for minimum wage standards.

[11] Malta: Higher wage rates are set by order in the following sectors: agriculture, beverages, domestic work, clay and glass work products, food manufacturing, hire cars and private buses, hospitals and buses, jewellery [sic] and watches, leather goods and shoes, papers, plastic, chemicals and petroleum, private security services, professional offices, public transport, sextons and custodians, textiles, tobacco manufacture, transport equipment, metal, woodworks and private cleaning services.

Remember some of this the next time someone -- no doubt wiser than you -- explains why 'the US needs to be more like Europe.'