Munich employment conference debates whether the city needs a living wage

Experts from academia, business, trade unions and politics met at Munich City Hall for the Munich Employment Conference 2026 to discuss how much pay people need to live well in the city, and what contribution a living wage could make to fair incomes and participation in society.

Opening the conference, Mayor Verena Dietl said: "Munich is economically strong – but that is only a success if the people who generate it can live on it. Anyone who works full-time should be able to afford life in Munich without having to rely on additional support. That is why it is right to discuss what contribution a living wage can make for Munich." While the statutory minimum wage applies uniformly across Germany, living wages take account of regional living costs and can be higher, particularly in cities with high rents.

Lauren Wetherilt and Sara Johnson of the Living Wage Foundation used London as an example of how such a model works. There, companies can voluntarily commit to paying a London Living Wage, which is recalculated regularly and reflects the higher cost of living. Professor Mario Bossler of the Institute for Employment Research and the Nuremberg Institute of Technology gave the academic perspective, examining the effects on employment since the statutory minimum wage was introduced and the economic consequences of higher wage levels.

Professor Bossler and Lauren Wetherilt then joined a panel discussion with Magnus Müller-Rischart of Max Rischart's Backhaus, Tim Lünnemann of the Food, Beverages and Catering Union in Munich, and Dr Christian Köning, leader of the SPD group on the city council. The discussion focused on opportunities for employees, the impact on businesses, the relationship with free collective bargaining and the minimum wage, and the ways a local authority can promote wages that secure a decent livelihood.

The conference was organised by the city's Department of Labour and Economic Development as part of the Munich Employment and Qualification Programme. It made clear that discussing a living wage for Munich means considering social and economic questions together, as economic success does not in itself guarantee that paid work enables everyone to participate in society.

The city council wants to raise the profile of the potential of living wages for Munich. The conference provided an initial expert impetus, bringing together experience from London, academic findings and a range of perspectives from Munich.