Minimum wage and collective bargaining agreements – comparison of election manifestos

Minimum wage and collective bargaining coverage are the decisive factors for the purchasing power of employees, according to the premise of a new analysis by the Hans Böckler Foundation. Reinhard Bispinck, head of the WSI collective bargaining archive, takes this as an opportunity to conduct a topic-specific study of the election programs for the Bundestag election: How do the parties address the level of the minimum wage and what are their plans with regard to collective bargaining coverage? Although the CDU and CSU are committed to the minimum wage, they do not comment on its level. In addition, the willingness of companies to adhere to collective agreements should be promoted. However, the Union does not present any detailed plans on how this is to be implemented. The FDP is striving for “modern labor law” and the “streamlining” of current legislation. Collective bargaining coverage is not mentioned, and legislators should not interfere in the work of the minimum wage commission. Clear demands are made regarding the right to strike: here, the party calls for restrictions, for example in the health sector, where arbitration should become mandatory. The SPD, Greens, and Left Party list similar points, including stronger collective bargaining coverage and an increase in the minimum wage to €15. To this end, the SPD wants to introduce a federal collective bargaining law and also “facilitate” the general applicability of collective agreements. The Greens, on the other hand, focus on general applicability and collective bargaining regulations in their program. The Left Party lists similar points and also demands that the Minimum Wage Commission no longer be able to make decisions without the votes of the trade unions. The BSW also broadly aligns itself with these plans. Finally, the analysis looks at the plans of the AfD. Their views on the minimum wage and collective bargaining coverage can be summarized quickly: there is no mention of them in their election program. WSI Director Kohlrausch concludes: Even though the AfD likes to present itself as the “party of the little man,” its actual plans clearly do not promise any relief or improvements for workers. We were also interested in these topics:

• Wealth inequality: The gap between rich and poor in Germany continues to grow, with many unable to build wealth on their own income. The RND explains the disadvantages of this in a new study.

• Companies in Germany: Although the mood among companies has improved slightly, business expectations remain low. The consequences of this are explained by the Tagesschau.

• Survey: Reducing bureaucracy is more important than tax cuts, say German companies in a new survey. The findings are summarized by the Zeit.

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