Chilling Out with Scholz and the NGG: Fair Wages in the Food Industry
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) believes in paying people their worth. The minimum wage is crucial, but there's room for more collectively agreed wages in Germany, he said, addressing the kick-off of the NGG (Food, Beverages, and Catering Union) conference in Bremen. The minimum wage serves as a foundation, but it's not sufficient for a fair society, argued Scholz. "I'd love for us to inhabit a world where everyone can rest assured they'll earn a decent living." There are still numerous individuals who exert considerable effort despite not receiving a proportionate paycheck. This predicament plagues many workers in the food industry and catering services, too.
Over 120 delegates from the NGG have gathered at this congress to engage in discussions on working conditions in the food sector until the weekend. The meeting, themed "Building the Future Together," will gather members from other unions and employer representatives. NGG Chief Guido Zeitler and German Trade Union Council Chairwoman Yasmin Fahimi were among the first to address the crowd. The NGG union conference takes place every five years.
The hospitality sector, heavily reliant on fair wages, may witness significant shifts as a result of these conversations. Trade unions like the NGG advocate for more collectively agreed wages due to potential tariffs on imported food that might increase costs for the said sector's businesses.
While the sources do not provide explicit changes in the hospitality industry as a result of the NGG conference, it is noteworthy that the rail industry negotiations between Deutsche Bahn and EVG have led to significant wage progress. Deutsche Bahn presented a revised offer this time around, which outlines an additional 1.3% payment for shift workers, totaling a 7.9% wage increase for around 100,000 employees[2]. Though the EVG continues to seek a 7.6% wage increase and 2.6% additional payment for shift workers, partially convertible into extra vacation days[2], specifics about the NGG conference's proposed changes in the hospitality industry remain unknown due to limited information available.
[2] Weber, E. (2022, March 18). Deutsche Bahn and rail union agree key demands on pay rise and shorter working hours. The Local. Retrieved from
