Germany: the left and trade unions relaunch push for €12/hour minimum wage

On 14 January, the president of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Reiner Hoffman, launched an initiative to increase the country’s minimum wage to 12 euros per hour (up from €9.35 at present). This day was chosen for the launch of the initiative, as at the same time a second pay negotiation meeting was taking place between social partners in the fast food sector, a sector that is rather resistant to wage increases. For her part, the new co-chair of the SPD, Saskia Esken, also argued for a clear-cut increase in the universal minimum wage, adding that such an increase could be obtained via a “political intervention” if necessary. As expected, the leadership of the large conservative party, the CDU, which met at a seminar in Hamburg this weekend, refused the proposal of the SPD and the DGB and has ruled out any political intervention from its side on the issue of wages. However, the game has only just begun.