Collective bargaining agreement: More wages for building cleaners from January

The approximately 700,000 employees in building cleaning will receive more wages in the coming years. The employer and union agreed on this in the fourth round of collective bargaining last night in Cologne, as both sides unanimously announced. Over a period of two years, the minimum wage in the industry for entry-level workers is expected to increase by a total of 11.1 percent. On January 1, 2025, the wage will initially increase from 13.50 euros to 14.25 euros per hour. On January 1, 2026, the starting wage will rise to 15 euros. The union members had originally demanded an increase of 22.2 percent to 16.50 euros in this lowest wage group.

The industry’s minimum wage for skilled workers will increase by 10.2 percent over the same period. On January 1, 2025, the tariff will increase from 16.70 euros to 17.65 euros, and on January 1, 2026 to 18.40. Trainees also receive more money. As of January 1, 2025, the remuneration for trainees will increase from 900 to 1,000 euros in the first year of training, from 1,035 to 1,150 euros in the second year of training and from 1,200 to 1,300 euros in the third year of training.

The union members were unable to achieve a 13th monthly income. However, the two sides agreed to talks from the end of 2025 about a possible union bonus from 2027.

“There were tough, sometimes hardened discussions right up to the end,” said Christian Kloevekorn, negotiator for the Federal Guild Association of the Building Cleaning Trade (BIV). “The end result is a compromise that takes into account the economically and politically uncertain times, the interests of the industry and social partnership,” he added.

The negotiator of the Construction-Agrar-Environment Industrial Union (IG BAU), Ulrike Laux, said: “We have achieved an increase in income of over eleven percent, which is a good result.” Nevertheless, one could “definitely imagine more”.