German civil service union slams pay reform as 'unconstitutional'
Germany’s Civil Service Federation (DBB) has raised strong objections to the government’s draft pay reform bill for federal employees. While the union supports the overall plan, it calls key parts of the proposal 'unconstitutional'. The Interior Ministry has so far refused to comment on the concerns. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) aims to increase starting salaries for civil servants by placing new recruits directly at the second pay tier. His plan also abandons the long-standing 'sole breadwinner' principle. Instead, it assumes a partner income of roughly €20,000 per year when calculating salaries.
Civil service representatives have criticised this change. They argue that cutting pay based on a partner’s earnings is legally unacceptable. The DBB also highlights that the reform fails to meet constitutional standards for pay gaps in the B-scale grades.
For senior civil servants (B-grade), Dobrindt’s proposal offers smaller raises than for those in the A-grade scale. The DBB insists the 1.6% difference between B3 and B4 grades violates the constitutional 'differentials rule', which requires minimum gaps between pay levels. The federation is now pushing for a full review of these income disparities. The DBB’s demands focus on two constitutional principles: the performance principle and the differentials rule. Without changes, the reform risks legal challenges. The Interior Ministry has yet to respond to the union’s concerns.
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