A coalition of prominent business associations has issued a warning to the Social Democratic Party (SPD) ministers in the federal government, urging them to refrain from interfering in the work of the minimum wage commission and not to put its members under pressure.
According to a report by the Bild newspaper, the associations have sent a letter to Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, Labour Minister Bärbel Bas and SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch, calling on them to exercise no political influence over the minimum wage commission, which is due to present a proposal by the end of June.
The letter, as quoted by the Bild, expresses great concern over the current debate on political interference in the commission’s work, stating that “a political intervention in the setting of the minimum wage is a dangerous dam breach with far-reaching consequences for Germany’s business location – particularly for our medium-sized enterprises.”
The initiative was organized by the Federal Association of Medium-Sized Enterprises (BVMW), with its managing director, Christoph Ahlhaus, stating to the newspaper that “those who want to do something good for the low-wage sector and businesses should not rely on political whim wages, but on lower taxes and levies.” The associations’ criticism is based on the fact that the SPD has pledged in its election program to set a minimum wage of at least €15 and is still trying to exert political influence, according to the representatives.