It’s a first. On Tuesday, October 22, the German Food Industry Association (VDEW) and the Food, Beverages and Catering union (NGG) opened talks to adopt a collective agreement introducing, for the first time ever, minimum wage in the meat industry. The NGG union wants minimum wage to amount to at least €8.5/hour for all German employees in the sector and for employees with a “service provision contract” (Werkverträge) coming from eastern Europe. For these workers, it also wants substantial improvements to their housing conditions. Employers want to restore the good name of a sector greatly criticized for wage dumping, excessive appeal to subcontracting and inhumane working conditions. (Ref. 130643)
Social dumping to the detriment of neighboring countries. For several years, the NGG (Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten) union has been denouncing working and pay conditions in German meat companies, notably slaughterhouses, as well as neighboring countries who deplore unfair competition. The union claims that German slaughterhouses have come up with a lucrative system relying on the exploitation of cheap workers mostly coming from Bulgaria and Romania. Recruited by subcontracting firm
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