More than one in three full-time employees in Saxony recently earned less than 2,750 euros gross per month. Almost 60 percent remained below the 3,500 euro mark. This is according to an answer from the federal government to Left Party MP Dietmar Bartsch, which was made available to the German Press Agency.
Low wages much more widespread than the national average
This means that the proportion of people with rather low wages in Saxony is significantly higher than the national average: across Germany, 20.9% earned less than €2,750 and 41.6% less than €3,500 as of December 31, 2023. In Saxony, almost one million people work full-time.
"Wages below 3,500 euros are effectively a guarantee of poverty-level pensions," said Bartsch. According to the Left Party, the background to this is that a gross monthly wage of more than around 3,300 euros - around 20 euros per hour - is required to receive a statutory pension at the poverty risk threshold level. Other forms of pension provision are not taken into account here.
Bartsch: Germany has a wage problem
In Bartsch's view, the figures make it clear: "Germany is not a high-wage country, but has a wage problem that affects millions of people." With sometimes horrendous rental costs and increased prices for food and energy, it is a challenge for millions of people to cope with the mandatory costs of everyday life.
From an industry perspective, Germany is sometimes referred to as a "high-wage country". Last year, companies paid an average of 43.40 euros in gross wages and non-wage labor costs for every hour worked.
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