DGB boss warns companies of increasing tariff flight - 17.08.24 - News

Saturday, 17.08.2024 10:48 by
dpa-AFX
| Views: 110 Warning strike by IG Metall Jugend Bayern ©IGMetall Jugend Bayern

“Today, only around half of all employees in Rhineland-Palatinate work under the protection of a collective agreement.” At the beginning of the 2000s, the figure was still over 70 percent. “This development is dramatic,” warned the union representative. Only one in three companies in Rhineland-Palatinate is bound by a collective agreement. In 2000, the figure was still more than half.

“Social partnership is a valuable asset”

Memberships in employers’ associations without collective bargaining agreements are also a problem. The central purpose of employers’ associations is to conclude collective bargaining agreements. “With these fake memberships, employers’ associations weaken themselves and enable cherry-picking, which ultimately harms everyone,” criticized Wingertszahn. “Social partnership is a valuable asset. Employers’ associations should not put this at risk by degrading themselves to a lobby group.”

Politicians must do more to stabilize the collective bargaining system, demanded the DGB chairwoman. There are many opportunities to do this at the state level. “We need real collective bargaining compliance in public contracts and in the awarding of subsidies,” said the union representative. “Public contracts must not go to companies that only pay minimum wage and offer the worst working conditions because that is the cheapest way.” Membership in employers’ associations without collective bargaining agreements should be abolished.

20 percent more earnings with collective agreement

Employees without a collective agreement have lower salaries, explained the DGB boss. According to the latest evaluations, in the same industry and for the same job, employees covered by a collective agreement in Rhineland-Palatinate earn around 20 percent more than employees not covered by a collective agreement. On average, that is almost 700 euros a month.

Wingertszahn said that social insurance in Rhineland-Palatinate lost around 2.1 billion euros annually due to tariff evasion and wage dumping. For the same reason, the public sector collected around 1.3 billion euros less in income tax in Rhineland-Palatinate. The lack of collective bargaining also had a direct impact on the purchasing power of the working population. With comprehensive collective bargaining, employees in the state would have around 2.9 billion euros more in their wallets each year. That would be a huge boost for domestic demand.

DGB plans actions for more collective bargaining coverage

The regional head of the German Trade Union Confederation announced that she would continue to keep up the pressure for more collective bargaining. This would be done, among other things, with actions as part of the nationwide DGB campaign for a change in wage agreements./glb/DP/mis

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