German Union’s Labor Chief Rejects Higher Health Insurance Contributions for High-Earners
The head of the Christian Democratic Employees’ Association within the German Christian Democratic Union, Dennis Radtke, has rejected the Social Democratic Party’s repeated calls for a higher cap on health insurance contributions.
In an interview with the Handelsblatt, Radtke stated, “Who believes that additional money can be taken from high-income earners for the statutory health insurance system is mistaken about reality. These groups are, in most cases, not even insured in the first place.”
The CDU official described the proposal as ideologically and ultimately detrimental to social cohesion, saying that it is the “hardworking middle class” that would bear the brunt of the additional burden. “Those who would truly suffer are those who earn fair and decent wages through good and fair collective bargaining agreements in the industry” Radtke warned.
Radtke, who represents the Ruhr region as a CDU member in the European Parliament, pointed to the coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD at the federal level, which committed to not further burdening health insurance contributors. He characterized the SPD’s proposals as challenging the solidarity principle of the social insurance system.