Trigema boss Wolfgang Grupp does not want to pay a special bonus to employees: "There are limits"

Created: 10/04/2022, 2:50 p.m

By: Sina Alonso Garcia

After the federal government gave the green light for a tax-free bonus for employees, Trigema boss Wolfgang Grupp spoke out against it.

© Patrick Seeger/dpa

In order to relieve workers in the face of high inflation, companies are allowed to pay their employees a tax-free bonus.

Trigema boss Wolfgang Grupp thinks nothing of it.

Burladingen - While inflation is hitting citizens in Germany with full force, politicians are trying to counteract it.

Last Friday, the Bundestag decided that employers may pay their employees a tax-free bonus of up to 3,000 euros in the coming years.

It is not yet clear how many companies will make use of this.

A company boss has now positioned himself clearly against a payment of the bonus: Trigema managing director Wolfgang Grupp does not consider it his duty to pay for something that, according to him, is the fault of politics, as reported by BW24.

“Politicians have assumed that the innkeeper has a printer that prints the money.

But we have limits," said Grupp in an interview with

For him there is no justification for a special payment for "what the policy caused".

Trigema is currently struggling with rapidly increasing energy prices.

As Grupp recently explained, gas costs have risen from 1.2 million euros a year in 2020 to around 12 million euros in 2022.

Wolfgang Grupp: "For 53 years I tried to solve my problems on my own"

The €3,000 bonus is voluntary, meaning the employer is not obliged to do so.

The federal government states that the premium can also be paid in several installments.

In addition, 3,000 euros is the maximum amount - smaller amounts are also possible.

They can be paid out until the end of 2024.

In recent months, Wolfgang Grupp has repeatedly pointed out that politicians are to blame for the economic misery.

“For 53 years I have tried to solve my problems on my own and adapt to change.

But now politicians are putting stones in my way that I can't clear away," said the Trigema boss recently in an interview with

.

In addition, he only has a printing company that prints T-shirts and no money.

Despite the economic crisis, there are no layoffs at Trigema, according to Wolfgang Grupp

Despite the increased production costs, Grupp can reassure his employees: no layoffs are planned at Trigema.

Nevertheless, the company patriarch makes no secret of the fact that he is concerned about the situation at Trigema.

As he explained in an interview with

, he had no understanding for the fact that one was "friends of Mr. Putin for 20 years and now suddenly a mortal enemy".

In his view, arms deliveries are not the solution to ending the war.

Instead, he advocates diplomatic talks.