Many in Europe (especially in Southern Europe) think that a lot of German workers live from a minijob of 450 euros per month. In this op-ed in El País (English version) my German colleagues Lars Feld and Benjamin Weigert and I explain that it is not quite like that. Minijobs might not be the best solution to reduce the inequality produced by globalisation, but it is certainly a better framework than the massive unemployment and precarious work that can be found in Southern Europe.