Northern German companies are calm about the 15 euro minimum wage!

Northern German companies are calm about the 15 euro minimum wage!

The discussion about the minimum wage is not letting up, and as the current survey by employers' associations shows, the majority of companies in the northern German metal and electrical industry are calm about an increase to 15 euros per hour. 64% of the 206 companies surveyed rated the consequences as “neutral”, while 35% expected negative effects and only 1% expected positive effects. This survey is a survey that took place between April 29th and May 13th, and the employers' associations Nordmetall and AGV Nord compiled company opinions. The current minimum wage is 12.82 euros per hour. For 2026, the German Federation of Trade Unions is calling for a minimum wage of 15.27 euros per hour in order to secure the growing purchasing power of employees South Germans reported.

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in particular, 55% of companies expect negative consequences of a wage increase, while in Bremen only 13% assume the same. In Hamburg it is 24%, Schleswig-Holstein 33% and Lower Saxony 37%. These different assessments show an industry-dependent sensitivity that should not be ignored. Nico Fickinger, Managing Director of Nordmetall and AGV Nord, warns of rising wage costs, especially for small and medium-sized companies, and calls for orientation towards general wage developments without taking irrelevant criteria into account.

Tariff classification in the metal and electrical industries

Significant negotiations recently took place in Hamburg to further strengthen workers in the industry. After 18 hours of negotiations, the IG Metall Coast and Bavaria districts reached a collective agreement result that will lead to a wage increase of 2.0% from April 1, 2025 and of 3.1% from April 1, 2026. In addition, employees will receive a one-off payment of 600 euros until February 2025 as well as an increase in training allowances. These measures serve to sustainably strengthen the purchasing power of employees IG Metall reported.

An important innovation is the shift in options for employees. In 2025, for the first time, part-time workers will be able to choose between more time or more money, which meets the needs of a wide range of employees. This more flexible approach will certainly help to further improve working conditions in the industry.

Tariff wages at a glance

It is worth mentioning that in Germany there is no uniform collective agreement for the metal and electrical industries, but rather regional collective wage agreements apply. These differ primarily in terms of the level of collective wages. The starting salary is currently 2,821 euros in certain regions, while in other federal states the range of standard salaries is between 3,189 euros and 3,592 euros, which illustrates the diversity in remuneration. The statistics also shows that in the period from 2016 to 2024, standard monthly salaries in this industry rose by a total of 23.9% - a sign of ongoing developments, even if consumer prices rose by 25.6% in the same period.

The challenges and opportunities in the metal and electrical industries are clear, and it remains to be seen how the changes mentioned will affect the economic environment and the demands of employees in the future. The dialogue between employers and employees will continue to be crucial in order to strike a balance between growth impulses and the legitimate demands of employees.