Germany: Reports on falling unemployment hide growing poverty!

Brussels, 02/04/2012

CONSEQUENCES OF POLITICAL CHOICES

The rise in full time employment is merely a massive expansion of the low-wage sector

"The rise in full time employment is merely a massive expansion of the low-wage sector. The 2011 has registered a rising number of “top-up” welfare payments to full time workers.”

“As a result of this massive increase in low-paid and/or part-time work (mini-jobs), many such workers try to find second jobs, or even more than one to make ends meet.”

The 2011 has registered a rising number of “top-up” welfare payments to full time workers

Source: Hans Bôckler-Stiftung 2012

{{THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES }}

“Today nearly 12 million people live below the poverty threshold this means 940 euro par month for a single person ."

“The absence of a minimum wage is a disgrace for a country with a flourishing economy like Germany”.

We need different policies policies

•  Equal pay between temporary and regular employees;
•  Promote the coverage of the collective agreements at any level in order to ensure fair wages and avoid social dumping; where they already exist preserve and strengthen the minimum wages;
•  To establish more coordinated and more stringent national tax policies;
•  Fight politically against low wages and reduce the extent of unequal distribution of income through higher taxation to an acceptable level.

The ETUC expresses its solidarity and full support