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What is the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning?
The framework collective agreement (Rahmentarifvertrag, RTV) governs the basic working conditions in commercial cleaning. These include, among other things:
- working hours and break rules
- notice periods
- vacation entitlement
- premium pay and special payments (e.g. Christmas bonus)
- pay
It is binding nationwide for every business in the industry that is bound by collective agreement, and it is negotiated between the Bundesinnungsverband des Gebäudereiniger-Handwerks (the German federal guild association of the building cleaning trade) and the trade union IG BAU. Businesses that are not bound by a collective agreement still often use its terms as a benchmark.
Working hours and break rules under the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning
Under § 3 RTV, the maximum weekly working time is 39 hours. The daily maximum is 8 hours. The framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning does not, however, prohibit additional hours. It allows more than 39 hours. Those additional hours must be balanced out within one month, though.
Under the collective agreement, working time begins at the assembly point and not, for example, only once you arrive at the job. That means travel time between jobs counts towards working time as well - with some exceptions.
Notice periods in the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning
The notice period depends on how long the employment relationship has lasted:
| Length of service | Notice period |
|---|---|
| 5 years | 1 month |
| 8 years | 3 months |
| 10 years | 4 months |
| 12 years | 5 months |
| 15 years | 6 months |
| 20 years | 7 months |
Employment relationships can, however, be terminated within two weeks if both sides agree. If the employment relationship has existed for less than two weeks, it can even be terminated within one working day.
Vacation entitlement under the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning
Vacation entitlement also rises with length of service. It is based on a five-day week and amounts to 30 working days per year.
Special payments and premium pay in the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning
Businesses bound by the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning are obliged to pay their employees premiums for night work and for work on Sundays and public holidays. Specifically, these are:
- 30 % of base pay for night work
- 80 % of base pay for work on Sundays and public holidays
- 200 % of base pay for work on 1 May, New Year's Day and the two Christmas holidays (25 and 26 December)
Employees also receive hardship premiums (Erschwerniszuschläge) for certain types of task. The exact rules can be found in the framework collective agreement for commercial cleaning here.
Pay and pay grades under the framework collective agreement and the 2026 wage collective agreement for commercial cleaning
The pay structure in the building cleaning trade is split into several pay grades. Employees are assigned to a grade according to their activity, qualifications and experience. You will find the pay grade breakdown in § 8 RTV Gebäudereinigung. The current hourly rates for 2026 and the future rates for 2027 are as follows:
| Pay grade | Hourly rate from 1 January 2026 in € |
|---|---|
| 1 - Routine cleaning | 15.00 |
| 2 - Glass and façade cleaning | 15.46 |
| 3 - Machine operators | 15.95 |
| 4 - Site supervisors | 16.66 |
| 5 | discontinued since 2011 |
| 6 - Technical and administrative roles | 18.40 |
| 7 - Technical and administrative roles | 19.39 |
| 8 - Technical and administrative roles | 20.43 |
| 9 - Technical and administrative roles | 21.64 |
The legal basis: who has to comply with what?
Even where a business is not bound by collective agreement, the framework collective agreement can still apply to it through a declaration of general applicability. In practice, that means:
- Opting out of the collective agreement is not an option: minimum standards have to be met
- Subcontractors: they have to keep to the collectively agreed requirements too.
- Minijobs & part-time: collectively agreed pay applies pro rata, as do premium pay and vacation entitlements
Breaches of the framework collective agreement can have legal consequences and put your employees' trust at risk.
What is a declaration of general applicability?
A declaration of general applicability (Allgemeinverbindlicherklärung, AVE) means that a collective agreement applies not only to the businesses bound by it, but to every business in an industry - regardless of whether they belong to the employers' association or whether their staff belong to a trade union.
A practical example: staying compliant with the collective agreement through digital time tracking
Oliver Budde, managing director of a commercial cleaning business, knows the industry's demands first hand:
“In commercial cleaning, the expectation is that billing is accurate to the minute - including travel time. That is exactly what we do. And that makes us attractive as an employer.”
It is precisely the declaration of general applicability covering the framework collective agreement that makes legally compliant time tracking for commercial cleaning not a nice-to-have but a requirement. Once out on the job with pen and paper, Budde now relies on digital support:
“We now have time tracking completely under control, and under control in a way that cannot be challenged legally either.”
Conclusion: why it is worth taking a look at the collective agreement
For employers, the framework collective agreement provides a clear structure for managing staff and setting pay. For employees, it is an important basis for fair working conditions. In times of digitalization and a skilled labor shortage in particular, transparency is a competitive advantage.
Tip: If you want to run processes such as time tracking or vacation planning efficiently, digital solutions are the way to go.
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