Strikes to Come in Germany: Union
The biggest German industrial trade union IG Metall threatened on Friday to organize strikes next week. If the union follows through on its threat, it would come at a horrendous time for Germany, which is on the brink of a recession.
Union chief Berthold Huber said the employers’ offer to raise wages by 2.9% was nothing but a joke, and said he could order the strikes before overnight.
Huber told Friday’s Bild newspaper that the union wants an 8% increase, this while the rest of the country is suffering tremendous economic problems. If employers do not quickly agree or present a valid alternative, Huber said, strikes would begin Monday.
“This offer by the employers is indecent because it would mean real wage losses for staff” due to inflation, he said.
“It is irresponsible because it would choke off economic growth. The conflict cannot be resolved this way — I see no solution without work stoppages.”
Interesting about Huber’s explanation is that he seems to forget that the companies themselves will make less high profits if forced to give their workers an 8% wage, and that customers will have to pay more for the products. This will mean that fewer will buy them, and that at a time when these companies are already in trouble, just like the rest of the German economy.
Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck, a Social Democrat proved that he does not understand economics very well when he sided with union, saying: “I consider wage increases in the current climate to be not only defensible but also justified.”
And so the tearing down of employers in order to ‘protect’ employees has begun in Europe. The result of which could very well be that many of said employees will find themselves without a job next year.
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