Literally at the last minute, there was an agreement on a wage increase for the approximately 150,000 employees in the paint and varnishing industry. According to this, wages in the West will increase by 5% from January 1, 2023 and a year later by another 2.6%. The same values apply to the east, only ten cents being added to each. There is also a tax-free and social security inflation compensation premium of 600 euros. The 20,000 or so trainees in the industry can also expect more money in their wallets. Your salary will increase over the next two years on 1 August each year by 30 euros in the first year of apprenticeship and by 35 euros in the second and third year of apprenticeship. On top is an inflation premium of 180 euros. The duration of the negotiated contract ends on 30 September 2024.
“It was really long, difficult and extremely tough negotiations. But I am very happy that the representatives of the Federal Association for the Protection of Color Design Buildings finally came to their senses shortly before and realized their responsibility towards the employees and of the industry as a whole,” says Carsten Burckhardt, chief negotiator and member of the federal executive council of the Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt industrial union. Burckhardt is particularly pleased with the agreement for East German workers: “Here we are only 2.3 percentage points below West German wages, in the next negotiation there will certainly be a common wage for all workers in the sectors of the painting and varnishing in Germany. That its about the time.’
There is also an agreement on the industry’s minimum wages. The minimum wage for blue collar workers will increase by 70 cents to €14.50 from 1 April 2023 and by a further 50 cents to €15 a year later. For helpers, the minimum wage limit will increase by 90 cents to €12.50 on April 1 next year, and by another 50 cents to €13 on April 1, 2024. “This deal is particularly important, as it helps prevent competition from dumping employees on the bones. Industry minimum wages ensure fair competition, allow companies to pay their employees under collective agreements, and thus retain skilled workers in the industry and attract more of them.” says Burckhardt. And he adds: «I would also like to see that for the main construction trades, because since the spring there we have not had minimum wages in the sector because the construction companies refuse to do so. There are trades related to construction, only recently have we also renegotiated a minimum wage for roofers, much more”.
The responsible federal specialist group and the federal executive committee of the IG BAU have already approved the result achieved. The declaration period expires on December 16, 2022, until then the state corporation associations must give the go-ahead for the color design building protection.
