Harvest assistant in Vogelsbergkreis: Fair wages instead of exploitation now!
Harvest assistant in Vogelsbergkreis: Fair wages instead of exploitation now!
Vogelsbergkreis, Deutschland - What is going on in Vogelsbergkreis? The IG Bau Hessen-Mitte has aimed with a clear appeal to farmers in order to keep an eye on the value of the harvest assistant. Fair wages and decent accommodations are the requirement of the hour. With a statutory minimum wage of 12.82 euros per hour there is a proper minimum in this country, but that is often not enough to cover the cost of living.
The situation of many foreign seasonal workers, which mostly come from Eastern European countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and Croatia, is particularly alarming. They often live under adverse conditions in outdated accommodations, while they are asked to pay for high rents. In addition, catering costs are often deducted from the wages, which leads to a barren net wage. This is not an acceptable solution, emphasizes the IG Bau, which warns of exploitation and clarifies that seasonal workers should not be treated as a "field worker 2nd class".uniform standards for harvest helpers
IG Bau has decided to work across the borders of the Vogelsberg district for the rights of harvest helpers. In Osnabrück, the district chairman Friedrich Pohl, who also points out the need to pay for seasonal workers fairly. Not only morality suffers from poor working conditions, but also the performance of the helpers. The demand to pay seasonal workers only 80 percent of the minimum wage is rejected by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture - inadequate wages could only increase the existing personnel loss in agriculture.
Another aspect that is often overlooked in the discussion is the legal situation: seasonal workers are undisputedly entitled to the statutory minimum wage in Germany. According to the minimum wage law (Milog), employers are obliged to pay at least 12.82 euros per hour. This regulation applies without exceptions, even for units or chord wages. From 2026, the minimum wage will increase to 13.90 euros, and even afterwards there is no view of a loosening of the regulations.
perspectives for the future
The Federal Government has recognized that fair conditions must be created when ensuring workers in agriculture. A possible reduction in electricity tax for agriculture and a reimbursement of the agricultural diesel from 2026 could help to alleviate the financial burden on the companies, but the pressure on wages remains. After all, the minimum wage in the Netherlands is already 14.40 euros - a visible sign that Germany follows in an international comparison.
For all seasonal workers who are not sure how to assert their rights, the Fair Mobility consulting network is available. At kontakt@faire-mobilitaet.de or by phone at 030-219 65 37 21, the experts can be reached to offer support. If you would like to find out about the rights and possibilities, you can find important information in different languages
whether in Vogelsbergkreis or elsewhere, it is up to all of us to keep an eye on the situation of the harvest helpers and to ensure that they receive the appreciation and support they earn.
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| Ort | Vogelsbergkreis, Deutschland |
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