In terms of average income, Saxony surpasses Saarland.
Thirty years after German reunification, the pay disparities between Eastern and Western Germany are narrowing. According to the Federal Statistical Office's records, workers in select areas of Eastern Germany earn more than those in some Western German states. Saxony and Brandenburg, for instance, have higher average incomes than Schleswig-Holstein or the Saarland. Despite this, they also work longer hours. This information was sought out by Bundestag member Sahra Wagenknecht.
In the immediate aftermath of reunification in 1990, East Germans generally suffered from poorer working conditions and lower average incomes compared to their Western counterparts, as per statistics from April 2023. Across all employment relationships in the former federal territory, the average monthly income stands at 3205 euros, but it's lower in eastern states at 2910 euros. Similarly, the average gross hourly wage is higher in the West at 25.16 euros than in the East at 20.97 euros.
Nonetheless, regional differences are becoming less pronounced. In specific regions, the average wage per hour post-deducting paid hours worked shows East Germany's advantage. Schleswig-Holstein has an average gross hourly wage of 22.67 euros, while Saxony's is 21.21 euros. However, the average monthly income ends up being slightly higher in Schleswig-Holstein at 2890 euros than in Saxony at 2925 euros.
Additionally, women who tend to have part-time jobs, work more hours in Eastern Germany with an average of 29.9 paid working hours per month, compared to 25.7 hours in the West. Consequently, female employees in the eastern states earn a monthly average of 2645 euros, which is higher than their counterparts in the West who make 2505 euros.
Yet, Wagenknecht pointed out that real wages nationwide remain too low. She warned that many regions in the West are experiencing steep declines in purchasing power and are at risk of becoming overly dependent. She urged for a statutory minimum wage increase of 14 euros, effective from July 1, which would fulfill the EU's minimum wage directive. She also cautioned that low wages have costs for society as a whole, as these workers may require additional income support, and the prevalence of old-age poverty rises.
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Sahra Wagenknecht, a Bundestag member, has taken interest in the income disparities between Eastern and Western German states, drawing data from the Federal Statistical Office's records. Despite East Germany having a lower average monthly income of 2910 euros compared to the national average of 3205 euros, some regions, like Saxony, have higher average incomes than some Western states like Saarland.
