Germany: introducing universal minimum wage and equal pay in the temporary sector will be the core of union action in 2012

For universal minimum wage and equal pay in the temporary sector.  The first press conference organized by the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB), which traditionally marks the beginning of the new social year in Germany, started with a bad-tempered gestured from its leader, Michael Sommer. Even though Angela Merkel’s party (CDU) did a U-turn and announced, at its Congress in November, the introduction of minimum wage negotiated by the social partners (see our dispatch No.  110659), “nothing’s happened since” the leader of German unions denounced.  “It doesn’t matter whether or not statutory minimum wage is defined by a committee (editor’s note: the subject of the debate within the majority part).  What matters is introducing minimum wage canceling all inferior wages and reaching the necessary amount,” i.e. €8.5 gross an hour, the union leader explained, adding that, in this respect, he didn’t trust the current coalition government anymore.  “However, at the latest after the next federal election (editor’s note: 2013), there will be a law on minimum wage, I am sure of it” he pointed out.  Second priority: unions want the principle of equal pay to be imposed inn the temporary sector, from the very first day at work or, at the latest after a short integration period.  “Temporary workers live in constant uncertainty (…).  They are poor even though they work” Sommer criticized, judging that the introduction of sectoral minimum wage in the temporary sector (see our dispatch No.  110795) didn’t fundamentally change things.