The number of unemployed fell slightly in February, as the Federal employment Agency (BA) announced. With approximately 2,373 million people was the lowest for a February since the reunification. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.3 percent. “The labour market remains robust in the face of the economic slowdown,” said BA chief Detlef Scheele.

compared to January the number of job seekers decreased to 33,000, a regular exercise. Compared with the previous year, it fell from 173,000. At the same time were reported to the Agency in February about 784.000 open positions. The are around 20,000 more than a year ago.

Even if it is attributed to the influence of the Season on the labour market, decreased the number of unemployed. Season, around 21,000 fewer men and women were adjusted last to be unemployed than in January. To the West, 15,000 people accounted for, in the East, compared to 6,000. The under-employment in February was at 3,314 million – and here, the people are included, participating, for example, in one embodiment. You fell on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to the previous month by 12,000.

tariff clearly merits

At the same time, increased the number of employed persons. According to data from the Federal Statistical office, in January, there were 44,79 million people. This is an increase of 79.000 compared to the previous month, compared with the previous year, there were 477.000 employed. The increase is based mainly on more employees subject to social security.

the standard wage in Germany. On average, the earnings of collective bargaining increased workers last year by 2.9 percent, the Federal statistics office. Thus, it changed its previous estimate of 2.8 percent. A similarly strong increase it had last seen in 2014 with 3.3 percent.

Because of the rise in consumer prices in the past year, only 1.8 per cent, the employees have more money available. The Federal office taken into account in the balance sheet, but also special services such as one-time or annual special payments, if you are a collective set.