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Most Germans think fat cats get too much cream

Published: 30 Jan 13 14:02 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20130130-47645.html

Most Germans think top managers in the country's big companies are paid too much, a study published on Wednesday showed.

When asked about big bosses' pay cheques, three out of four Germans asked by Stern magazine said they were far too large. Just 21 percent said that they thought high-ranking managers deserved their wage.

Fifty-eight percent said they believed legal limits should be imposed on what high ranking managers were paid. But 39 percent said they thought that was not necessary.

The statistics come after the revelation that Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn took home €20 million in 2012, news which triggered debate nationwide.

Almost half - 47 percent - of those asked by Stern agreed that managers should be paid no more than 100 times the wage of their lowest-earning employee – a suggestion put forward by Klaus Schwab, President of the World Economic Forum, at the Davos conference last week.

If this were to have applied to Winterkorn, he would have earned €2.9 million. Still, 27 percent said they felt Schwab's guidelines to be too high.

The Local/jcw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

23:57 January 30, 2013 by RainerL
It's like that Everywhere, not just Germany. The three Evils > Religion, Power and Greed.
10:48 January 31, 2013 by chicagolive
I think the problem is even worse here because the average person makes so much less than, compatriots in the same industry in other western countries. Hence the reason why most foreigners who go to school here don't want to stay here to work.
12:46 January 31, 2013 by ichbines
oh yeah, pay them 100 times more for 1/100 of the work, perfect
19:20 January 31, 2013 by raandy
Chicagolive....

If you are poor ,indigent , or low to low middle income on US standards then Germany is the place to be.You are not going to get the medical, dental and optical support there that you get here. You can live good here for a lot less than you can live good in the States.

However,

If you are high middle to upper income, then there is no place better than the good old USA.
02:03 February 1, 2013 by jmclewis
@ raandy,

You are 100% Correct!
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