A broad alliance of 16 social associations and organizations warns of a worsening of the social situation in Bavaria – and calls for concrete countermeasures from politicians. The corona pandemic had already clearly exposed the existing social inequalities. And with the consequences of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the rising prices and the great energy insecurity, the situation is getting worse, according to a position paper that the “Social Network Bavaria” presented on Wednesday. The Red Cross, Caritas, Diakonie, Arbeiterwohlfahrt, the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) and the social association VdK have joined forces in the initiative, which was founded in 2004.
Specifically, the 16 associations and organizations are demanding, among other things, a new energy price flat rate of 500 euros per person from state or federal funds as well as the promised Bavarian hardship fund for citizens and social institutions in existential need – the latter had recently been announced by the state government. The alliance is now calling for the speedy clarification of open questions. In addition, precarious employment and low wages must be pushed back.
The “Social Network of Bavaria” is also calling for a wealth of measures in other areas: including a specialist offensive in daycare and all-day care, a master plan for expanding daycare, a nationwide expansion of Bavarian care bases, more short-term care places, or more support for low-income households with energy-saving measures .
The DGB chairman Bernhard Stiedl criticized the state government in particular. “In the State Chancellery, many resources are currently wasted on daily traffic light bashing, keyword citizen money,” he said. “Anyone who is afraid that work will no longer be worthwhile because of the citizen’s income is apparently overlooking the fact that far too many employees in this country earn too little.” The VdK state chairman Ulrike Mascher complained, among other things, that care bases, short-term, day and night care places were missing.