"Reform the welfare state, but do it fairly"

At their meeting in Dortmund, the employee vice-presidents of the DHKT demand socially acceptable reforms that do not place an additional burden on employees and companies.

The employee vice presidents of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (DHKT) recently met at the Dortmund Chamber of Skilled Crafts for their autumn conference. There, they discussed current issues in skilled crafts and education policy. The focus was on the perspectives of employees, trainees, and employee representatives in the skilled crafts sector.

"The regular exchange across chamber boundaries strengthens our work and shows how diverse and future-oriented the skilled trades are," said Marc Giering, Vice President for Employees of the Dortmund Chamber.

Do not place an additional burden on employees

With the "Dortmund Declaration: Reform the welfare state, but do it fairly!", the vice presidents advocated for socially acceptable reforms that make the welfare state future-proof, do not place an additional burden on employees and businesses, and strengthen the attractiveness of skilled trades.

"Reforms are necessary. Employees and businesses alike must be able to rely on the welfare state to continue providing support and making a solid promise for the future," the statement reads. Employees make a crucial contribution to the skilled trades' revenues of 770 billion euros. Reliable framework conditions are needed that recognize this contribution.

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Specific demands for the upcoming reforms:

• However, necessary reforms must not be at the expense of those who, through their daily work, ensure the economic performance of the skilled trades.
• No cuts to benefits from health, long-term care, and pension insurance. Restrictions on continued wage payments, sick pay, and the introduction of waiting days do not contribute to enabling age-appropriate working conditions.
• Maintaining the eight-hour workday: What is now being sold to us as "flexibilization of working hours" will not increase the attractiveness of professions for which skilled workers are already desperately needed. The planned deregulation of the Working Time Act will lead to increased workloads and thus to an increase in illnesses and accidents, and consequently to a further increase in costs for the healthcare system.
• Comprehensive, high-quality healthcare means, in particular, rapid access to specialist medical care to accelerate recovery processes and enable employees to return to work sooner. Prevention and workplace health management must also be given priority.
• Taking out more private insurance against risks is out of touch with reality: Many skilled tradespeople simply cannot afford it!
• Therefore, where instruments are put to the test, clear social guardrails are needed to ensure that low and middle incomes are not additionally burdened.

Source: HWK Dortmund

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