Massive increase in temporary work in nursing

400 percent more contract workers in the nursing sector

05/07/2012

More and more diaconal and private institutions are letting temporary workers work at gross wages of less than 1600 euros gross monthly. The number of temporary workers in hospitals and nursing homes has increased by a whopping 400 percent since 2005. Most temporary workers work in the care sector. This was the result of an evaluation by the Federal Employment Agency.

Approximately € 1,600 gross a month is earned by a temporary agency worker in the care sector. The number of those affected has risen by 400 percent since 2005, according to the Federal Employment Agency (BA). The proportion of agency workers in nursing occupations is - measured by the total share - of temporary work now 16.4 percent, as the BA of the Bundestag Sabine Zimmermann of the party „The left“ communicated on request.

Earnings lower than nationwide low pay threshold
The average gross wages of nurses in temporary employment averaged 1,600 euros per month. Two-thirds of temporary workers earned less than € 1802 a month. They were thus below the nationwide low pay threshold for a single household. Employees who are regularly employed in the health or social services sector achieved an average monthly salary (up to the end of 2010) of 2456 euros. The left-wing politician Zimmermann sees this „significant salary differences that are questionable“.

Zimmermann told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that many health and care providers became employees „solely as a burdening cost factor, which should be kept as small as possible“ look at. In contrast to the SZ, the Institute for Work and Technology from Gelsenkirchen said that the number of temporary workers in the area of ​​nursing will continue to increase as the headcount after the job cuts of recent years is very thin. Wolfgang Müller of the initiative „Against Hartz“ sees in it a calculation of the employer. „First, the regular jobs are reduced, then replenished with cheap labor“, According to Müllers would „Many temporary workers do not earn enough to support their family“. They would therefore have to top up with Hartz IV. The job centers would urge people to work in the low pay sector in temporary employment. Those who refuse will be sanctioned with money cuts, according to Müller.

Labor costs should be reduced
Labor market experts are worried about the development as some temporary work agencies have been set up just to lend workers to hospitals and retirement homes. Often these are so-called subsidiaries that want to deal with collective agreements. The meaning behind it is, „to push the wages down“. No labor cost savings result when temporary workers are hired by external temporary employment agencies. Then the costs are similar to those of normal employees. (Sb)

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Image: Gerda Mahmens