Germany is in a dark, long tunnel. The light we see at the end is not the exit, but a train coming upon us, said liberal-conservative editor Roland Tichy in a recent video with over 180,000 views. Today’s headlines indicate the depth of the problem:
• Record part-time jobs. In the second quarter, the part-time employment rate rose to a new record high of 40.1%, according to the Nuremberg-based Institute for Employment Research (IAB). The number of part-time employees rose by 1.3% to 16.971 million, compared to the same quarter last year, while the number of full-time employees fell by 0.7% to 25.352 million.
Thirty years ago, part-time work was an exception. Today it is the norm. However, “part-time” has become longer: on average 18.62 hours per week. (A similar trend was reported in Italy, where the government boasts of an increase in jobs but statistics show a reduction of worked hours).
• The German chemical union IG BCE has called for abandoning Germany’s national goal of climate neutrality by 2045. Union leader Michael Vassiliadis emphasized that many companies are fighting for survival. 40,000 jobs are at risk, and 12,000 employees are already on short-time work. Regarding climate targets, even extending the deadline five years to 2050 is not enough, says Vassiliadis. IG BCE has 570,000 members, representing 1.1 million workers. Vassiliadis targeted CO2 pricing. The planned reduction in certificates is stricter than anywhere else in the world and puts European companies at an unacceptable competitive disadvantage.
Furthermore, the technologies, infrastructure and energy sources needed to produce CO2-free energy at reasonable costs are largely lacking at present. He warned that his union won’t watch idle as the sector is going down.
