"Spotlight": More than six million people will receive more money from October

Created: 2022-09-27Updated: 2022-09-27 10:48 am

By: Patricia Huber

The new minimum wage will come into effect on October 1st.

That should make some employees happy.

Because many have earned less so far.

Berlin – The time has come for the first of October.

Then a number of minimum wage recipients in Germany can look forward to more money.

Because this then increases from 10.45 euros to 12 euros per hour.

The government had decided to take this step and not the minimum wage commission set up specifically for this purpose.

Politicians are convinced of this step.

SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert is proud of the increase in the minimum wage.

His party "couldn't push through any compromise, but pushed through the position for which we were voted by millions of people in this country," said Kühnert on Monday.

Minimum wage increase: 6.64 million people benefit

According to a new study, 6.64 million people in Germany will benefit from this increase.

Because so many employees in Germany currently earn less than 12 euros gross per hour, as the Economic and Social Science Institute (WSI) of the Hans Böckler Foundation, which is close to the trade union, announced on Tuesday in Düsseldorf based on its own calculations.

"The minimum wage of twelve euros brings many employees a noticeable increase in wages at a time when this is particularly important due to high energy and food prices," explained WSI labor market expert Eric Seils.

"And that without any foreseeable effects on employment, as a current survey among the employment agencies shows, for example."

DGB sees new minimum wage as a "ray of hope in difficult times"

The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), which had always campaigned for the minimum wage and its increase, rated the increase as "a ray of hope in these difficult times", as DGB board member Stefan Körzell said with regard to the energy price crisis.

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Among those now benefiting from the increase, 2.55 million are employed full-time, according to WSI.

According to the study, almost every tenth full-time employee nationwide currently receives less than 12 euros per hour.

According to this, it is 20.1 percent among part-time employees, and even 80 percent among mini-jobbers.

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DGB warns: Not everyone receives the statutory minimum wage

However, according to the DGB, many across all sectors still do not receive the statutory minimum wage.

More controls are needed.

“The federal government must significantly increase the number of staff in the responsible authority for financial control of undeclared work,” demanded Körzell.

At the same time, he called for further financial relief, since the minimum wage cannot cushion the rising prices for energy and food.

It is high time for an energy price flat rate and an energy price cap, for which the "excess profits of the large energy and mineral oil companies" would have to be skimmed off.

The DGB announced information campaigns on the minimum wage increase for this Wednesday at more than 230 train stations and market places throughout Germany.