“After consulting with our colleagues from Left Forward and especially with Minister Vogel, we've been given access to preliminary data pointing out to moderately positive effects of a higher-than-current living wage, during the period it's been in effect. Our fears were, although not entirely, mostly proven wrong or minimised. We still promise to closely monitor the new statutes' effects as well as vow to provide support and tax relief to smaller businesses struggling to pay higher salaries. It should also be noted that, as we'd already previously stated, we're talking about "minimum" wages, that is the safeguards in place to avoid exploitation: most workers, both white and blue collars, enjoy higher, sometimes significantly higher, wages.”
Labor Rights And Wage Reform Act of 2019
Rationale
To lift workers out of poverty and empower fair bargaining, ensuring economic security and stronger workplace democracy for all.
Proposed Changes
| Law | Previous | Proposed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minimum Wage Policy |
Basic minimum wage
|
High living wage
|
|
| 2 | Right to Strike |
Protected with a lawful ballot
|
Unrestricted right to strike, incl. solidarity action
|
1
Minimum Wage Policy2
Right to StrikeTimeline
-
Draft31 July 2019
-
Vote Open31 July 2019
-
Vote Closed29 September 2019
-
Did Not Become Law29 September 2019
Vote tally
Live tally across each chamber. Weighted by seats held.
Bundesrat
FailedFor: 29 / 69 seats (42.0%)
Against: 30 · Abstained: 0 · Not voted: 10
| Party | Seats | Vote | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance For Digital Freedom And Rights | 16 | Yes | After consulting with our colleagues from Left Forward and especially with Minister Vogel, we've been given access to preliminary data pointing out to moderately positive effects of a higher-than-current living wage, during the period it's been in effect. Our fears were, although not entirely, mostly proven wrong or minimised. We still promise to closely monitor the new statutes' effects as well as vow to provide support and tax relief to smaller businesses struggling to pay higher salaries. It should also be noted that, as we'd already previously stated, we're talking about "minimum" wages, that is the safeguards in place to avoid exploitation: most workers, both white and blue collars, enjoy higher, sometimes significantly higher, wages. |
| Competence And Freedom | 8 | No | No reason given |
| Homeland Alliance | 16 | No | This is a classic left-wing demand! Leftists want little work for a lot of money. That doesn't work. Work has to be worthwhile again, that's clear. But above all, those who work hard should be rewarded, not those who complain all the time. Real workers deserve recognition and appreciation. |
| Left Forward Proposer | 13 | Yes | No reason given |
| Saxenheim Republic | 6 | No | No reason given |
| Saxenheim Workers’ Union | 0 | No | While fair wages and lawful collective bargaining are important, an unrestricted right to strike risks disrupting essential services, harming the economy, and undermining national stability. Workers’ rights should be balanced with the wider interests of the nation and the public. |
| Empty seats | 5 | Not voted |
Bundestag
FailedFor: 277 / 650 seats (42.6%)
Against: 276 · Abstained: 0 · Not voted: 97
| Party | Seats | Vote | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance For Digital Freedom And Rights | 151 | Yes | After consulting with our colleagues from Left Forward and especially with Minister Vogel, we've been given access to preliminary data pointing out to moderately positive effects of a higher-than-current living wage, during the period it's been in effect. Our fears were, although not entirely, mostly proven wrong or minimised. We still promise to closely monitor the new statutes' effects as well as vow to provide support and tax relief to smaller businesses struggling to pay higher salaries. It should also be noted that, as we'd already previously stated, we're talking about "minimum" wages, that is the safeguards in place to avoid exploitation: most workers, both white and blue collars, enjoy higher, sometimes significantly higher, wages. |
| Competence And Freedom | 77 | No | No reason given |
| Homeland Alliance | 146 | No | This is a classic left-wing demand! Leftists want little work for a lot of money. That doesn't work. Work has to be worthwhile again, that's clear. But above all, those who work hard should be rewarded, not those who complain all the time. Real workers deserve recognition and appreciation. |
| Left Forward Proposer | 126 | Yes | No reason given |
| Saxenheim Republic | 53 | No | No reason given |
| Saxenheim Workers’ Union | 0 | No | While fair wages and lawful collective bargaining are important, an unrestricted right to strike risks disrupting essential services, harming the economy, and undermining national stability. Workers’ rights should be balanced with the wider interests of the nation and the public. |
| Empty seats | 52 | Not voted |
Voting record
Every vote must state a public reason. Most recent first.
“While fair wages and lawful collective bargaining are important, an unrestricted right to strike risks disrupting essential services, harming the economy, and undermining national stability. Workers’ rights should be balanced with the wider interests of the nation and the public.”
“This is a classic left-wing demand! Leftists want little work for a lot of money. That doesn't work. Work has to be worthwhile again, that's clear. But above all, those who work hard should be rewarded, not those who complain all the time. Real workers deserve recognition and appreciation.”
“ADFR's position on high living wage's well known: we see its merits (as most contracts provide for way higher wages: it's "merely" a safety net), but also fear it might cause salary and raise stagnation for those working in smaller businesses, if not even some lay-offs (the resources needed to comply might simply be taken from other, more specialised or with more seniority workers). We're, on the other hand, favourable to an unrestricted right to strike, as we believe it to be a fundamental freedom, especially considering that striking isn't free for workers, as they give up on that day's pay. For these reasons, we'll be abstaining, at least for the time being. We're open to hear more arguments on both sides though, especially for what concerns the effects on the job market.”