[thiago_fm]

Terribly written article and headline.

Germany isn't 45 German companies that will try it.

There's no labor shortage in Germany, what there is, are proper salaries.

One example are childcare workers in Kindergartens (Kita). Salaries are low and regulated, so nobody wants to do it. Increase the salary and you will have many workers lining up.

Germany has managed to grow for decades, from absolute destruction post WW2 without raises that accompany that amount of growth.

Tech workers in Germany are paid peanuts in comparison to Americans.

The situation isn't worse because some American companies offer good salaries, pushing the market up.

[4gotunameagain]

Increase the salary of childcare workers etc.

Do not increase the salary of tech workers in Germany. We are already making more of our fair share. More than double or triple the amount of money that a person working way harder makes.

Sincerely, a tech worker in Germany

[llampx]

Agreed. However, since we don't have the power to set the salary of childcare workers, we will just ensure we don't pay you as much as your colleagues in the US, UK or Switzerland.

Sincerely, FAANG

[rcbdev]

Agreed. However, since I don't like being underpayed, I will pack my things and move to Switzerland after having received my taxpayer-funded education.

Sincerely, a tech worker

[FirmwareBurner]

I assume you feel underpaid only when you look at Swiss salaries form German CoL perspective. But I assume Swiss salaries are not high when you're also paying Swiss CoL, then they're just regular salaries.

[rcbdev]

I'm from Vienna - CoL compared to salaries here is pretty high but managable with social housing.

It's just that my friend working for a subsidiary of my employer in Zürich makes 3x as much, gets to keep a lot more of that money due to the significantly lower tax burden and then after that her CoL is ~2-2.5x what it is here.

Additionally, her salary is paid in CHF which is deflationary while I get my money in Eurozone Funbucks. As you might know, Austria has been a European inflation leader in the last 1-2 years (~10%).

Compared to the Swiss we are completely and utterly underpaid. For equivalent work and similar living conditions she's left with almost double the money at the end of the year. Note: We both do not live lavishly by any means.

[FirmwareBurner]

Yeah well, that's the cost of the Austrian welfare state and the "m'uh most livable city in the world" which is only so livable if you're on cheap social housing instead of paying private market rates.

And now the people expect even more handouts from the state to combat the insane inflation and the higher consumer prices than in Germany and even higher corporate and "high-icome" taxes to fund it all because that's what people vote for, whichever party promises more handouts and getting rid of foreigners, so say goodbye to all the skilled workers ever thinking about moving there to pay taxes.

The country is going down the drain and the rats are leaving the sinking ship. Last one to leave please turn off the lights.

[llampx]

Berlin, Munich and other big cities, where most of the tech jobs are, have had massive inflation over the last few years. There is a huge gap in terms of rents and mortgages between those who bought or signed a rental contract prior to 2021 and now. Meanwhile the strong CHF has led to Swiss inflation being somewhat lower. Kurzgesagt: German CoL is catching up but salaries remain behind.

[thiago_fm]

Whoever said that in Germany people make enough are nuts.

Let's suppose you have 2 kids. If you get a rental contract in Berlin Today, in 2023. The ideal space according to the government and known research is 30m2 per person, you'd need an apartment with 120m2.

120m2 apartments are like 2500 euros per month, more than half of your salary post-taxes. Tenants typically ask for rents to be 30% of your income, you'd have trouble finding an apartment.

Here's why people also don't have kids in Germany, salaries are terrible.

I've been living here in Berlin for almost 10 years. And only after 8 years I could have a decent life here, even making definitely above the market salaries. And by decent I mean, better than my third-world country.

People won't be willing to move to Germany if they'll live in a shoebox and have no disposable income. They'd rather stay home where their parents, family and friends are, save money and speak their local language.

And without Immigrants, given that Germans in general don't want to reproduce because they can't afford having kids, the country's population size will start decaying.

This post-war mindset from a few people in Germany that people need to get paid just enough to buy Bread and live in a shared flat is what is sinking that country.

[FirmwareBurner]

>Berlin, Munich and other big cities

Sure, but rents and property prices in Zurich and Geneva aren't low at all either. Quite the contrary. My friend in Geneva is feeling super broke. Salaries are high only at the companies of the top of the food chain where it overpowers the insane CoL.

>Kurzgesagt: German CoL is catching up but salaries remain behind.

Ha, Austria laughs at this. Lower salaries than Germany with higher prices than Germany. Someone shout BINGO.

[FirmwareBurner]

>We are already making more of our fair share.

Maybe at big-tech and fanngs. On average at local companies not so much.

> More than double or triple the amount of money that a person working way harder makes.

Triple take home pay? Highly unlikely. Some outliers sure, on average no.

[llampx]

If anyone working in tech in Germany is feeling overpaid, I would recommend they get out of their current rental contract or mortgage and get a new one at current rates. Or simply forego their inheritance.

Saving for retirement in Germany as a middle-class employee is tremendously hard.

[freilanzer]

Maybe at BMW or Google, but certainly not everyone in tech.