German cleaners call for respect and wage raise to prevent old‑age poverty

Around 1,360 building cleaners in Schweinfurt and 7,160 in Leipzig are urging the IG BAU union to secure a "respect and wage boost" ahead of the national Day of Building Cleaning on June 15. Union representatives Michael Groha (Schweinfurt) and Jörg Oehmigen (Leipzig) argue that low wages force cleaners to work beyond retirement age to earn a pension comparable to the average, risking poverty in old age.

The union is pressing Bundestag members from the CSU, SPD, CDU and other parties to counteract upcoming pension reforms and to grant a strong wage increase in the next collective bargaining round for the cleaning trade. They warn that stark wage differences threaten social cohesion and label the current situation a "poverty certificate" for cleaners.