In 2025, 49 % of all employees in Germany worked for companies that were bound by collective wage agreements, according to a statement from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) released on Friday. This percentage stayed roughly the same as in previous years.
Tariff binding is measured as the proportion of employees whose workplaces are covered by collective agreements compared to all employees. The data show clear vertical differences: the highest binding occurred in the sector “Public Administration, Defense, Social Security” where all (100 %) employees were covered. Followed by “Energy Supply” (84 %), “Education and Training” (79 %) and “Financial and Insurance Services” (68 %).
The lowest tariff binding rates in 2025 were found in “Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries” (10 %), “Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation” (21 %), “Real Estate and Housing” (21 %), and in “Hospitality” as well as in “Freelance, Scientific, and Technical Services” (both 23 %). Overall, the binding rates across industries changed little compared with the previous year.
When comparing states, the highest rates were in Bremen (56 %), Saarland (52 %), and North Rhine‑Westphalia (51 %). The lowest rates were in Saxony (42 %), Berlin (45 %), and Schleswig‑Holstein (46 %).
