Cleaning Workers in Lübeck Demand Higher Pay Ahead of Crucial Wage Talks
Unions warn that inadequate compensation will cause staff shortages as nationwide minimum wage discussions continue.
Thousands of cleaning professionals in Lübeck are awaiting a wage increase, as the IG BAU union pressures employers ahead of a decisive negotiation round scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The union represents approximately 4,130 cleaning workers across the city who maintain restrooms and facilities in offices, schools, and day-care centers.
The union is demanding an increase of 2 euros per hour, which would raise the hourly wage for a cleaning professional to 17 euros. However, Ralf Olschewski of IG BAU Holstein criticized employers for stalling, noting that management has only proposed a 1.8 percent raise—amounting to just 27 cents per hour—starting in May of next year, which he described as a farce that fails to counter inflation.
Olschewski warned that if companies refuse to present a substantial offer, many workers will leave the industry in search of other employment. Such an exodus would create severe operational challenges for businesses, given that labor in the cleaning sector is already scarce across Lübeck's 96 cleaning companies.
Highlighting the physical demands of the job, Olschewski pointed out that the statutory minimum wage is set to rise to 14.60 euros per hour in January, while cleaning professionals currently earn only slightly more at 15 euros. He questioned why anyone would wake up at 3:00 a.m. for a grueling job to earn a mere 40 cents more than the legal minimum.
The upcoming third round of tariff negotiations will bring together representatives from IG BAU and the Federal Innungsverband of the Cleaning Trade. Both sides face mounting pressure to reach an agreement that addresses compensation and labor retention in the physically demanding industry.
Meanwhile, economic conditions for minimum wage earners remain a subject of broader discussion across Germany. A recent study examining the financial situation of minimum-wage employees found that single full-time workers earning the minimum wage generally have more available income on average than comparable individuals receiving basic government support, though actual differences depend heavily on individual life circumstances.