Germany: the introduction of minimum wages for every sector is still disputed

During an important meeting on the evening of March 5 in Berlin, political leaders from the large coalition ruling did not manage to agree on the setting up of minimum wages per sector, lauded by the federal Labour Secretary, Franz Müntefering (SPD). Presided by the latter, a work group is supposed to present, at the end of March, a project to reform the sectors with low wages jobs and the labour market. On the other hand, an agreement was reached to establish a combined salary in favour of young unemployed people.(Ref. 070205)
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Minimum wages for the building and industrial cleaning sectors. Before this meeting, Franz Müntefering had reminded, in an interview granted to the weekly newspaper Der Spiegel (March 5,) his will to introduce a minimum wage in every branch. At the moment, the building sector is almost the only one in Germany having a minimum wage, that is 12.40 euros in the west, and 9.80 euros in the ex-GDR. This salary had first been set by social partners, and then extended to all the employees from this se

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