Zur Einführung von gesetzlichen oder branchenspezifischen Mindestlöhnen - Lohnuntergrenzen und ihre Wirkungen

Abstract

"The motions of the three parliamentary groups Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Alliance 90/The Greens) ('Strengthening collective wage agreement systems - Facilitating generally binding collective wages and branch-specific minimum wages', parliamentary printed document 17/4437), Die Linke (The Left) ('Stabilising the collective wage system', parliamentary printed document 17/8148) and the SPD (Social Democratic Party) ('Stopping the erosion of the collective wage agreement systems - Safeguarding the regulation of the general application of collective wage agreements', parliamentary printed document 17/8459) are aimed at stabilising the collective wage system in Germany. The spread of the low wage sector and the erosion of the collective wage bargaining system are to be counteracted through a reform of the declaration of general application of collective wage agreements. In this the expansion, to all branches, of the law on the posting of workers and the introduction of a general, legal minimum wage are being called for.<br> In this statement, IAB is presenting its research findings concerning the topic of legal and branch-specific minimum wages. It is not commenting on legal issues of wage bargaining. The proposal that the law on the posting of workers should be extended to all branches does not seem feasible. A system in which for each branch - and possibly with separate differentiations according to qualifications and/or regions - a different minimum wage level applies would probably be extremely difficult to administer because of its complexity. A uniform, legal minimum wage on the other hand - possibly differentiated between eastern and western Germany and with special regulations for young people and young adults - whose level has been determined by sound judgement, is capable of supporting the collective wage agreement system as a lower limit and of contributing to avoid things taking a wrong turn within the low wage sector." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

König, M., Möller, J., Stops, M. & Walwei, U. (2012): Zur Einführung von gesetzlichen oder branchenspezifischen Mindestlöhnen - Lohnuntergrenzen und ihre Wirkungen. Öffentliche Anhörung von Sachverständigen vor dem Ausschuss für Arbeit und Soziales des Deutschen Bundestags am 6. Februar 2012. (IAB-Stellungnahme 02/2012), Nürnberg, 14 p.