Income: Before the decision: Are 15 euros in a minimum wage?

The pressure on the minimum wage commission is growing in the struggle for the future height of the minimum wage in Germany. The confidential negotiations between top representatives of unions and employers are going into the final phase this week. The committee wants to present a result by June 30th.

The Social Association of Germany asked the Commission for a minimum wage of 15.12 euros, as Chairwoman Michaela Engelmeier said to the German Press Agency.

The commission members are under political pressure. In the past Bundestag election campaign, the SPD had called for an orientation of the lower wage limit to EU requirements, according to which the minimum wage should achieve at least 60 percent of the middle income. “Accordingly, the minimum wage must be 15 euros at the latest from 2026,” says the SPD election program in January.

Current status in the minimum wage commission

From June 27th to 29th, an SPD party conference will meet again-and leading social democrats attentively look at the minimum wage commission. According to your legal mand, this is politically independent. As it is said in circles familiar with the matter, unions and employers are still significantly apart in the Commission. A mutual result of 15 euros is therefore not tangible.

The minimum wage is currently 12.82 euros per hour. Germany’s employer warn of serious economic consequences through a significant minimum lighter increase. Overall metal manager Oliver Zander had already told the “Bild” newspaper in April that a minimum wage of 15 euros “would cause serious economic damage in the longest economic crisis since the foundation of the Federal Republic”.

Position of the unions

The German Trade Union Confederation, on the other hand, stated in the previous year: from DGB perspective, “an appropriate minimum wage” means 15.27 euros for 2026 per hour based on the EU requirements. The employers, on the other hand, remind 15 euros an increase in just ten years of over 76 percent. Zander: “The wages cannot keep up with it.”

Does the commission or politics decide?

The chief of social association Engelmeier asks the coalition to intervene if the Commission does not take into account the EU requirements for 60 percent of medium wages. “Otherwise, politics should consider how it can improve here.”

The chairwoman of the minimum wage commission, Christiane Schönefeld, does not currently comment on the status of the negotiations. In a message, she had explained that the committee “, among other things, is based on collective bargaining and the reference value of 60 percent of the gross wage” of full -time employees. In “special economic circumstances” it could differ.

Despite disagreement on the future height of the minimum wage, the will in the minimum wage commission have the will to get a mutual decision, as it was said in the circles. It should be avoided that a decision of the committee can only come about through the voice of the independent chairpersons.

Finally there were two premieres

Despite the protest of the unions, the Commission had not decided by mutual agreement in June 2023 for the first time. When deciding on an increase in two stages to EUR 12.82, Schönefeld had voted with the employers and was the decisive factor. There had been another premiere before. The traffic light coalition had exceptionally decided on 12 euros 2022 by law during the previous increase and thus realized a promise of the then Chancellor Party SPD.

Coalition threatens a new dispute

It is therefore foreseeable that there will be new political explosives for the coalition if the minimum wage commission presents its result. What it was said is still unclear whether the last meeting before the SPD party conference, which begins this Friday-or only after the convent on Monday (June 30).

In the case of the failure of the committee, there should not be many advocates for a significant increase by law in the Union. In their election program, the Union parties clarified: “We reject a political minimum wage.”

Applications SPD party conference 27.6.-29.6. (On the minimum wage p. 73 ff.) BDA for the minimum wage