The president of the employers’ association has appealed to politicians to do something quickly about the shortage of skilled workers. This endangers prosperity, warned Dulger. In addition, the traffic light coalition should reduce its climate protection goals.
Employer President Rainer Dulger expects that Germany will lose prosperity due to the shortage of skilled workers. “The shortage of skilled workers can no longer be completely eliminated,” said Dulger to “Bild am Sonntag”. “And that will cause us to lose prosperity in this country.”
Politicians must now try to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. “Germany must become attractive again for skilled workers from abroad,” said Dulger. “What do we offer them? One of the most complicated languages in Europe, a catastrophic housing market, a slow bureaucracy and only a few daycare places with little flexible opening hours. We need a welcoming culture like in other large immigration countries.”
Commission for Minimum wage increase
Dulger also rejected the accusation that employers had prevented an appropriate increase in the minimum wage. “There is a minimum wage commission. This commission, in which representatives of employees and employers sit, decided on an increase by a majority and the government implemented the result,” said the President of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA).
Dulger rejects calls for a hefty increase in the next round of commissions: “Politicians have to stay out of wage determination. If they want low-income earners to have more money in their accounts, they are welcome to reduce taxes and contributions.”
Withdraw climate targets
Dulger also demanded that politicians say goodbye to their climate policy goals. “If the traffic light implements everything it has set out to do in terms of climate policy, Germany will no longer be able to keep up internationally.” Companies would give up because they would be required to make investments that they could not afford.
In order to revive the economy, the government will have to withdraw many regulations. “I hope that political objectives will be questioned and green traffic light projects will now be put on hold. They no longer fit the times and weaken the business location,” said the employer president. Climate protection should not destroy the economy. With more market economy instruments, ambitious climate goals could be achieved faster and more cost-effectively.