Minimum wage hammer: Gastronomers in Hamm close because of an increase!

Minimum wage hammer: Gastronomers in Hamm close because of an increase!

Hamm, Deutschland - The next increase in the minimum wage is pending in Germany, and the reactions from different industries are varied. From January 1, 2026, the statutory minimum wage will be raised from currently EUR 12.82 to EUR 13.90 per hour, followed by a further increase to 14.60 euros from January 1, 2027. These developments were decided by the minimum wage commission in Berlin, but must still be formally implemented by the Federal Ministry of Labor, such as Wa.de reported.

However, the upcoming increases encounter considerable resistance. Karsten Plaß, operator of two party locations in Hamm, has announced that he would have to close his business because he cannot finance the higher wages. "The situation in night catering is tense," he emphasizes. Plaß has noticed a decline in sales for two months, while more and more young people are no longer going out for financial reasons. His 33 employees face an uncertain future.

The industry perspective

The minimum lighter increase also has a major impact on the mass of employees. Around six million people in various sectors such as trade, gastronomy, logistics and cleaning will benefit from the increase, which is referred to by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research as a "compromise with a sense of proportion", as ZDFheute reports.

economic forecasts and challenges

At the same time, experts are concerned about the economic consequences of these measures. Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research, describes the decision as a missed opportunity with potentially positive effects on productivity and competitiveness. Nevertheless, he warns that there is a need not to overload the companies in difficult times. The last increase in the minimum wage to 12 euros, which was introduced in October 2022, was also concerned about inflationary tendencies. The chief economist of Deka Bank, Ulrich Kater, fears that the higher wages could heat inflation, which is a challenge for the German economy.

In the past ten years, the minimum wage in Germany has been increased ten times. These increases have stabilized the purchasing power of people with less income, but there were also concerns that they could end in a wage price spiral. In view of these framework conditions, the minimum wage policy decision is still considered controversial and could have long -term effects on the collective agreements that also shape the labor market. However, the [Böckler Foundation] (https://www.boeckler.de/de/auf-einen-Blick-17945-12-Euro minimum wage-and-studies-and-entry-41626.htm) emphasizes that the minimum wage as an important instrument for stabilizing purchasing power requires a constant adaptation to the economic conditions.

In a time when many citizens are fighting with increasing living and living costs, it can be seen that the minimum wage remains a hotly discussed topic that carries both opportunities and risks. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether the goals that the goals can be achieved.