Figures from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport (BMVI) show that the amount of road transport companies caught paying drivers below minimum wage has increased over the last 5 years.
According to eurotransport.de, the BMVI data shows that since 2016, the number of fines issued to hauliers for failing to pay the minimum wage has increased significantly. In 2016, the authorities sent 148 fines for violating the minimum wage requirements. Last year the annual figure had risen to 490. The number of fines also rose year-on-year during this time.
The BMVI points out that violations can be punished with fines of up to half a million euros. The statutory minimum wage in Germany is currently 9.50 euros per hour.
It is not clear from the data provided whether the rise is a result of increased monitoring or a genuine increase in the amount of criminal activity.
Politician Christian Jung made a freedom of information request to able to have the aforementioned figures made public. Commenting on the data, Jung said that efficient controls were “essential” and stressed the importance of designing working conditions appropriately to make the profession of lorry driver more attractive.
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