Elke Hannack, Vice-President of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), visited EZA’s secretariat in Königswinter at the end of February. During the visit, she talked about the new European directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU. Elke Hannak emphasised that even the minimum wage, which is 12 € in Germany, still belongs to the low-wage sector. Germany has one of the largest low-wage sectors in Europe. The participants also discussed the "European Year of Skills" proclaimed by the European Commission. All participants emphasised the importance of vocational training and further education, but also of personal education.
Elke Hannack then went into greater depth on the topic of "Minimum Wages and Social Partnership" in a lecture at the premises of EZA member Arbeitnehmer Zentrum Königswinter (AZK).