Dresden (dpa/sn) - The German Federation of Trade Unions in Saxony (DGB) has called for measures to reduce the wage gap between East and West. "It is completely incomprehensible for the employees why they still earn less for the same work in the east than in the west," said the deputy chairwoman of the DGB Saxony, Daniela Kolbe, on Sunday.
According to data from the Federal Employment Agency (BA), the so-called median wage in eastern Germany was 3,007 euros at the end of 2021, 619 euros below that in western Germany. In 2020, the difference was 650 euros, in 2017 it was 739 euros. The median salary describes the average salary across all full-time employees. So the median wage means that half of the full-time workers earn more and the other half earn less. At the end of 2021, the median salary of all full-time employees subject to social security contributions in Germany was 3,516 euros.
However, the overall German median wage is only of limited significance because the regional differences are large. In 2021, according to the BA figures, full-time employees in Hamburg (EUR 3,962), Baden-Württemberg (EUR 3,843) and Hesse (EUR 3,799) earned the highest wages. The median was lowest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (EUR 2,785), Thuringia (EUR 2,807) and Saxony-Anhalt (EUR 2,855). In Saxony it was 2,857 euros.
"Saxony brings up the rear nationwide when it comes to collective bargaining. Only 43 percent of employees work in a company with a collective agreement, and that's reflected not only in the wallet, but also in the statistics," emphasized Kolbe. There is an urgent need for action at both the federal and state levels. This includes the allocation of public funds exclusively to companies with collective agreements.
