Agreement reached despite political pressure

BDA Managing Director Steffen Kampeter on the decision of the Minimum Wage Commission to adjust the level of the statutory minimum wage:

Despite political pressure: agreement reached

Berlin, June 27, 2025: "After difficult negotiations, the Minimum Wage Commission has reached a balanced but challenging result for companies. The agreement shows the ability to act within the social partnership and is also a signal against the paternalism and interference of politics in the work of the Minimum Wage Commission. Cooperation between employers and trade unions works, even if it requires painful compromises for both sides. We take our responsibility seriously.

In lengthy and difficult consultations, we have weighed up the various factors as a whole. As a result, we want to guarantee adequate minimum protection, ensure fair and functioning competitive conditions and not jeopardize any jobs.

The result meets the criteria of the Minimum Wage Act. The two-stage increase provides companies with the necessary degree of planning security - also for the parties to the collective agreement. The aim of the commission must not be to pursue social policy. 15 euros minimum wage in 2026 was and remains party-political voodoo economics.

Article 9 of the Basic Law assigns constitutional protection to the social partnership. If social partners are active in a legally guaranteed independent commission as part of their constitutionally protected mandate, they must not be exposed to political drumbeats against an independent decision at the same time. This destroys the value of social partnership and respect for institutions such as the Minimum Wage Commission.

It is now up to the politicians to live up to their own responsibility and adopt reforms that allow more net from gross. The unchecked rise in social security contributions cannot be absorbed by the Minimum Wage Commission. We need decisive political action."