loading

Messages are loaded...

Asylum seekers work for 80 cents an hour in Stollberg

Asylum seekers work for 80 cents an hour in Stollberg. (Archive photo) / Photo: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Asylum seekers work for 80 cents an hour in Stollberg. (Archive photo) / Photo: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

Asylum seekers in Saxony can be called upon to do community service. They are paid 80 cents per hour. In Stollberg, they now maintain green spaces. There is criticism from the Refugee Council.

In Stollberg in the Ore Mountains, asylum seekers are currently working for 80 cents an hour. "We applied for 10 jobs at the district office, eight jobs were approved, but only three showed up when we started work on Monday," said Stollberg's mayor Marcel Schmidt (Free Voters). They are highly motivated, make an effort and are in a good mood at work. They are primarily used to maintain the green areas or to set up the festival site. The MDR had previously reported.

"Anyone who comes here and makes use of the services is expected to do something in return," emphasized Schmidt. He would also encourage other benefit recipients, such as recipients of citizen's allowance, to work. "Unfortunately, this is currently not legally possible. But I would do it immediately if it were possible."

Refugee Council: Right-wing sentiment served

Criticism of the measure comes from the Saxon Refugee Council (SFREV). "Such measures have been in place in several cities and municipalities for years. However, most of them were discontinued due to their lack of success," explained spokesperson Dave Schmidtke. In any case, it is the wrong approach and serves the right-wing mood in the country better. Language courses and qualification measures are more important so that asylum seekers can be quickly integrated into the labor market.

Copyright 2024, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved

🤖 The translations are automated using AI. We appreciate your feedback and help in improving our multilingual service. Write to us at: language@diesachsen.com. 🤖