Differences persist in holidays and holiday bonuses in 1998

In 1998, significant differences persist in collectively agreed holiday bonuses between various sectors, as well as between western and eastern Germany, according to research by the Institute for Economics and Social Science.

According to a recent study of 1998 provisions by the Institute for Economics and Social Science (Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut, WSI), most employees in Germany receive a collectively agreed holiday bonus, though there are significant sectoral differences in the amount of the bonus. While most employees are due 30 days' paid leave per year, the average annual holiday bonus for a blue collar worker in a middle-range income group ranges between DEM 205 and DEM 3,043.

In western Germany, the highest level of holiday bonus has been agreed in the printing industry (DEM 2,639) and wood processing (DEM 2,571 for blue-collar and DEM 3,043 for white-collar workers). Branches with a relatively low holiday bonus are mining (DEM 300), agriculture (DEM 360) and public services (DEM 650). In the iron and steel industry and in banking there exists no collectively agreed holiday bonus.

In comparison, holiday bonus in many east German sectors are still lower than in the west. Only employees in chemicals, metalworking, paper processing, printing and railways so far receive the same holiday bonus as their western colleagues. In some sectors, like the automobile trade or textiles, the east German employees get less than half of the west German holiday bonus or even receive no holiday payments at all (as in the clothing industry). In various east German sectors, the number of collectively agreed holidays per year is still below the level of the west.