Minimum wage dispute comes to: Decision on June 27th awaits!

Minimum wage dispute comes to: Decision on June 27th awaits!

Schönefeld, Deutschland - In Germany, the decision to increase the minimum wage is imminent. On June 27, 2025, the minimum wage commission will present its results, but the prerequisites for an agreement seem to be anything but stable. According to a current message from fr.de , the unions and the SPD request an increase in the minimum wage to 15 euros per hour. This could be of great importance for many employees in Germany, after all, the current minimum wage is 12.82 euros, since the last increase of 82 cents two years ago.

The debate about the minimum wage is not new. As early as 2022, employers made it clear that they are skeptical of an increase and warn of possible job losses. In particular, the general manager of total metal, Oliver Zander, sees considerable economic risks with a minimum wage of 15 euros. In contrast, the Social Association of Germany even demands a minimum wage of 15.12 euros, while the German Trade Union Association (DGB) demands 15.27 euros for 2026, such as ZDF.de reported.

The role of the minimum wage commission

The minimum wage commission plays a crucial role in this process. It was founded in 2015 to check the minimum wage height every two years. The Commission consists of a chairman and several permanent members of the social partners and meets at least three times a year. The committee has the task of evaluating the effects of the minimum wage on the labor market and competitive conditions. Particular attention is paid to the protection of employees, such as the official website of the BMAS

Currently it is speculated that the minimum wage commission does not remain in its current form without an agreement. A past scandal in June 2023, in which the support of employer representatives by chairwoman Christiane Schönefeld met with violent criticism in public, strengthens the concerns. It is therefore expected that an agreement between politics and the economy is essential to ensure the continued existence of the Commission.

forecasts and political tensions

politics is not in agreement. The SPD emphasizes that the minimum wage should be at least 60 percent of the middle income and provides for an increase by 2026 at the latest. This could make a minimum wage of 15 euros to 2026. The Union, on the other hand, is not very accommodating and rejects a political minimum wage. These differences could lead to additional tensions within the traffic light coalition, as can be seen from the last reports.

It remains to be seen whether the Federal Government is able to present a sustainable solution in the near future. However, leading business institutes state a recovery of the economy for the coming year, which could possibly influence the negotiating framework. In the event of an agreement on June 30, this could set new impulses for labor market policy in Germany and bring significant changes for employees.