NGG trade union conference - Chancellor calls for more collectively agreed wages
According to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), work must be paid fairly. The statutory minimum wage is important, but Germany also needs more collectively agreed wages, said Scholz at the start of a congress of the Food, Beverages and Catering Union (NGG) in Bremen on Monday. The minimum wage is a lower limit, he emphasized. "I think we want and should live in a society in which everyone can be sure that they will be paid properly." There are still many people who work hard but are not paid properly. This also applies to many workers in the food industry and catering sector.
At the NGG trade union conference, more than 120 delegates will be discussing working conditions in the food industry and gastronomy until Friday. Several hundred guests attended the opening of the trade union conference. In addition to the NGG delegates, numerous members of other trade unions and employer representatives were invited.
Many negative consequences
According to Yasmin Fahimi, Chairwoman of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), the collective bargaining flight in Germany has many negative consequences. It divides the workforce and jeopardizes prosperity, she said at the congress.
NGG boss Guido Zeitler called for a clear stance against the right. "Our society is more insecure than it has been for many decades." This is dangerous because democracies need stability. And social justice is extremely important for this. "The preservation of democracy is an essential prerequisite for us to overcome the major tasks and challenges together," said Zeitler, also with a view to politics. The NGG will continue to work hard for the protection of working conditions and for social and economic justice.
In his speech, Chancellor Scholz also addressed the importance of immigrants for Germany. "Germany is a country whose prosperity and economic strength would not exist without the millions of citizens who have immigrated in recent decades," he said. The new immigration law is an important step. People who come to Germany, work here, speak the language and integrate will then be able to obtain German citizenship more quickly and have a say in decision-making. According to Scholz, Germany is still dependent on the immigration of skilled workers.
The NGG trade union conference is organized every five years. According to the NGG, it has around 200,000 members.
- The hospitality industry, which includes the food industry and catering sector, is a crucial area where collectively agreed wages are essential to ensure fair payment for workers, as highlighted by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the NGG trade union conference.
- Trade unions, such as the NGG, play a significant role in the hospitality industry by advocating for improved working conditions and collectively agreed wages, aiming to eradicate the issue of underpaid employees in this sector.
Source: www.dpa.com
