BERLIN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The minimum wage in Germany is to be raised from 9.82 euros to 12 euros (13.56 U.S. dollars) an hour in October this year, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs announced on Wednesday.
The country's governing parties had already agreed on the one-time increase in their coalition agreement after the federal election last year. In addition, the salary threshold for so-called "mini-jobs" is to be raised from 450 euros to 520 euros.
"A poverty-proof minimum wage is a question of getting paid fairly depending on your performance, and of respect for honest work," said Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. "More than six million hard-working people will benefit from the increase, in particular in eastern Germany, and above all women."
The current minimum wage in Germany has only been in effect since the beginning of January, and is regularly being increased by a dedicated commission. The next increase, to 10.45 euros, is planned for July.
Of the six Western European euro countries, Germany has the lowest minimum wage at the moment, according to the Institute of Economic and Social Research (WSI). After the increase to 12 euros, the country will move up to second place behind Luxembourg. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) ■