The German employers’ association, the BDA, is intensifying its pressure on the German government to resist certain aspects of the EU’s Pay Transparency Directive as the implementation deadline approaches. Steffen Kampeter, CEO of the BDA, voiced concerns to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, arguing that the government faces a dual obligation: safeguarding the autonomy of collective bargaining agreements and preventing the creation of a general suspicion regarding social partners.
The directive, slated for integration into German law by June 7th, aims to diminish the gender pay gap through increased transparency in salary negotiations. While the stated goal is laudable, the BDA warns against measures that could undermine established labor agreements. Kampeter specifically emphasized the importance of upholding the principles enshrined in Germany’s existing Entgelttransparenzgesetz, which currently protects collective bargaining autonomy.
The BDA’s critique centers on the potential for the implementation to erode the validity of existing pay agreements, particularly those ensuring equal pay for women and men. Kampeter argued that any attempts to weaken these agreements risk fostering a culture of tariff avoidance, a direct contradiction to calls for strengthening collective bargaining relationships. He sharply criticized proposals that appear to erode the foundations of this established system, questioning the sincerity of those advocating for greater tariff binding while simultaneously proposing measures that could destabilize it.
The BDA is now pushing for a comprehensive reform of the directive at the European Union level, signaling a significant challenge to the German government’s planned integration – a move that could pit the government’s commitment to gender equality against its fundamental respect for the negotiated labor framework. The stakes are high, as the approach taken could reshape the landscape of labor relations and influence the broader approach to pay equity across the EU.
