Minimum wage for interns alarms German music bosses
mainThe German Labour Minister Andrea Nahles is pushing through a minimum rate of 8.50 Euros an hour for interns in all sectors of the economy. The rate would take effect after seven weeks’ work.
First to oppose it is the German Music Council (DMR). It calls the wage ‘unrealistic’ and says music organisations would have to get of their interns before they were properly trained. Young people, says the DMR, would be ‘denied a much-needed insight into the professional world.’
That stiff statement may be all the insight they could possibly need.
Thanks especially for the last sentence, Norman!
Just to avoid misunderstandings: This isn’t about interns only. Germany doesn’t have a legally binding minimum wage so far. The governing parties have now agreed on intruducing a general minimum wage of EUR 8.50 per hour, but they are still arguing on some possible exceptions, interns being one of them.
The problem with interns, especially in the creative industries, is that they become a route in to the profession mainly for those people from wealthy families who can support them.