End-of-year report Index increases fair pay salaries and self-employed rates through 2026

End-of-year report December 2025

This post contains more information on index increases considering fair pay salaries and self-employed rates through 2026. Every year we share two posts on salaries, rates and indexes.For more technical explanations, please refer to the previous post on index increases. Because fair pay means appropriate pay as well as periodic increases/indexation.

Detailed data from all 12 Chains tables known
There are currently current tables with fair pay salaries and/or self-employed rates from all 12 Chains tables for 14 professional groups available. Here a final index increase has been implemented for seven groups, the other seven are index projections. To supplement the tables, online calculation tools are available from seven chain tables. Using these, workers and work providers can calculate for each activity and/or assignment what a fair pay salary or rate is.

Current salary and rate data for all chain tables
In September, seven chain tables were able to include their detailed data on salaries, self-employed rates and indexations through 2026 in the current tables. These were the Culture Education and Amateur Arts, Culture Marketing and Communications, Photography, Arts organizations, Freelance Classical Musicians, Musicians and Composers Jazz/World/Contemporary and Pop Musicians chain tables.

Based on additional research and public consultations, the same now applies to the other five Chain Tables: Archaeology, Visual Arts, Digital Culture, Film/AV Productions and Film Festivals.

New Guidelines, Calculation Tools and Tables
Five of the 12 Chain Tables are coming out with more fair pay Guidelines in 2026. An expansion of the number of online Calculation Tools is also planned. In mid-2025, the new Chain Tables Performing Arts Festivals and Technicians Events were formed. Meanwhile, they have both commissioned independent studies on the position of working people, which will be published soon. A smaller consultative table also started in September on Grand Law.

Further Information
Current Fair Pay Detail Tables (from 12 Chain Tables).

Current Fair Pay Detail Calculation Tools (from 7 Chain Tables).
Autumn Report on Index Increases .