EU: European trade unions welcome the SPD victory in Germany

The European Trade Union Confederation has welcomed the SPD Social Democrat victory in Germany’s federal elections on 26 September (with 26% of the votes vs. approximately 24% for the CDU-CSU conservatives) as well as the victorious party’s flagship proposal to raise the minimum wage from €9.60 to €12 per hour (c.f. article No.12682). This victory ‘is a major boost is a major boost ‘to the campaign to end poverty pay across Europe by improving the EU’s directive on minimum wages’, the ETUC said in a statement. Olaf Scholz, Angela Merkel’s current vice-chancellor and head of the SPD electoral list, still has to form a coalition in order to be able to implement this social program, following the conclusion of what will probably be lengthy negotiations with the Green and the Liberal parties. The ETUC maintains that this new situation in Germany should encourage the European Commission to introduce a mandatory minimum wage threshold of 60% of the median wage in its directive. “German voters have said loud and clear that minimum wages can no longer be poverty wages,” said Esther Lynch, Deputy General Secretary of the ETUC, continuing, “Europe must follow their lead and ensure minimum wages guarantee a decent standard of living in all member states”; an option that the European Commission is currently rejecting (c.f. article No.12687).