"Shaping Germany's Future“ – that is the title of the coalition contract, which has been signed last week. The contract also regulates the nationwide minimum wage. It says: "Good work has to pay off and secure existence. On the other side, productivity and wage level has to correspond accordingly, so employment subjected to social insurance contribution remains."
What does it mean now? Is a minimum wage for interns coming up? This would mean interns are going to receive a wage of approximately €1,400 a month when working 40h/week.
Yesterday, at the Day of Interns, I talked about this subject with representatives of different companies, interns and the Project Manager of the Initiative Fair Company.A great part agreed with the introduction of the minimum wage, are afraid, nevertheless, offers of open interships to be drastically reduced. Interships would be more expensive, automatically costs of recruiting would considerably increase.
Attention! There is already a loophole: The minimum wage only applies to young people with vocational graduation. Interns, who ought to complete an internship in line with their eductaion (while enrolled at college/university) are considered to be in a training relationship not in an employment, a work relationship. So no minimum wage for those interns.
 |
| Quelle: dpa |
In the previously published draft it still said, a minimim wage won't apply to interns. In the final contract, however, this sentence has been scratched out as wished by the social democratic party SPD.
What does it mean now? Is a minimum wage for interns coming up? This would mean interns are going to receive a wage of approximately €1,400 a month when working 40h/week.
Yesterday, at the Day of Interns, I talked about this subject with representatives of different companies, interns and the Project Manager of the Initiative Fair Company.A great part agreed with the introduction of the minimum wage, are afraid, nevertheless, offers of open interships to be drastically reduced. Interships would be more expensive, automatically costs of recruiting would considerably increase.
Does this mean we are going to have interns of first and second class? Will there only the best to receive an internship? Does this create a new wave of youth unemployment? Is it possible for interns to be forced to work/perform even more due to the receiving of such high wage, eclipsing the actual learning?
Many questions came up which we couldn't resolve all while the discussion, either. Actually even more questions came up. At the moment we just can assume and have our own interpretation of the coalition contract. Precise details of this will be announced with the concrete legislative procedure.
Ralf Junge
Ralf Junge
No comments:
Post a Comment