German workers must get higher wage increases: Germany's Schulz

Germany's center-left candidate for chancellor Martin Schulz has called for bigger pay rises for workers, an unusual move in a country where wages are traditionally negotiated by managers and union leaders without political interference.

Schulz made his case for higher wages a week after his nomination by the Social Democrats to run against Chancellor Angela Merkel, a surprise move which has seen support for his SPD party jump according to a Forsa poll released on Wednesday.

"We have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to wages," Schulz told the Funke media group in an interview.

The former European Parliament president said the profits of German companies had grown faster over the past decades than the incomes of workers.