You are detrimental to employment opportunities.
In the heart of Germany, a heated debate on the minimum wage is unfolding, with the Left Party voicing concerns over exclusions and calling for an increase.
The minimum wage, introduced in 2015, currently stands at 12.82 euros per hour. However, certain groups are exempted from this, such as trainees, long-term unemployed individuals during their first six months of employment, and employees in workshops for people with disabilities. These exclusions are a point of contention for the Left Party, with member Anne Zerr calling them a scandal.
Zerr, a vocal critic, argues that these exclusions degrade these individuals to second-class employees and are a key factor in the continued poverty experienced by many working people. She maintains that the minimum wage must be a key protection against people living in poverty despite being employed.
The German government, consisting of the Union and SPD, has stated that the minimum wage has had no impact on the employment rate over the past ten years. However, the Left Party disagrees, pointing out that the median calculation for the minimum wage excludes the fact that the top one percent in Germany earns 213,000 euros.
The Left Party's MP, Anne Zerr, has also demanded an increase to 16 euros in the minimum wage by 2026. This demand is echoed by the trade union-affiliated Hans-Böckler Foundation, which calculates that a minimum wage of around 15 euros would already be required by 2025.
However, it's worth noting that the interest group demanding a minimum wage increase to 16 euros in 2026 is not explicitly mentioned in the search results. The DGB trade unions, including IG Metall, are actively demanding substantial wage increases and maintaining a gap above the legal minimum wage, which is set to rise to 13.90 euros in 2026 but not as high as 16 euros.
The exclusion of certain groups from the minimum wage is intended to make it easier for companies to hire long-term unemployed individuals. For instance, the average workshop allowance for people with disabilities is around 220 euros per month, which is significantly lower than the minimum wage.
The debate over the minimum wage is not a new one. Since its introduction in 2015, there have been shifts in employment between employers, with smaller businesses in structurally weak regions losing employees, according to Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research.
This news article aims to provide a clear and straightforward account of the ongoing debate surrounding the minimum wage in Germany. The facts presented here are based on the provided bullet points and serve to inform the reader about the key points of contention and demands made by the Left Party.
