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Minimum wage commission poised to make decision: While the decision is eagerly awaited, there are initial calls for a partial reduction.
The minimum wage commission is expected to announce its decision on the future level of the statutory minimum wage by next Monday. In preparation for this, the federal government has stipulated for the first time that the commission should base its decision not only on wage developments but also on the reference value of 60% of the median wage for full-time employment. This follows a recommendation from the European Minimum Wage Directive, as highlighted in an analysis by Wirtschaftsdienst.
In light of this development, there are calls to lower the minimum wage in certain sectors. The Farmers' Association, for example, is demanding that seasonal workers' salaries be limited to 80% of the minimum wage. Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer is open to this demand, as reported by Tagesschau. The Farmers' Association cites as the main reason for its demand that an increase in the minimum wage would lead to enormous financial challenges for agriculture. Significant criticism has come from the SPD and the trade unions, which point out the importance of the minimum wage as the lowest protective threshold for a poverty-proof wage.
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