Income data analysis - Saxony's monthly income surpasses Saarland's.
Thirty years since reunification, regions in Eastern Germany have managed to surpass the average monthly incomes found in some Western German states. Data from the Federal Statistical Office in Saxony and Brandenburg reveals this surprising fact. Their average incomes are now higher than those in Schleswig-Holstein or the Saarland. However, East Germans work more hours. This was recently revealed by Bundestag member Sahra Wagenknecht's request for information.
Following the German reunification in 1990, East Germans typically faced worse working conditions and lower average incomes. Statistics collected in April 2023 show this remains true to a large extent. Nationwide, the average monthly income for all employment arrangements sits at 3205 euros, while the eastern states' average is 2910 euros. Moreover, the average gross hourly wage was higher in the West at 25.16 euros compared to 20.97 euros in the East.
Despite these disparities, the differences between individual regions are decreasing. For instance, the average gross hourly wage was 22.67 euros in Schleswig-Holstein and 21.21 euros in Saxony. In Schleswig-Holstein, the average monthly income was 2890 euros, while Saxony's was 2925 euros due to slightly more hours worked and paid.
Women employed part-time generally have different circumstances than their male counterparts. They put in an average of 29.9 paid weekly hours in the East against 25.7 in the West. Consequently, the average monthly income for female employees in Eastern states is 2645 euros, higher than women in the West with 2505 euros.
Nevertheless, Wagenknecht points out that overall wages remain too low across the country, mainly in the West. Wagenknecht, leader of the Left Party, cautions, "In many regions in the West, purchasing power is particularly falling." She calls for raising the statutory minimum wage to 14 euros per hour from July 1 and implementing the EU's minimum wage directive. Wagenknecht mentions that a low minimum wage has drawbacks for the entire society, as workers need additional support and the risk of old-age poverty increases due to low earnings.
