Frankfurt am Main/Munich – IG Metall expects employers and politicians to do more for employees in the trades: “With the energy and mobility transition, the shortage of skilled workers in the trades threatens to increase further. But many of the fundamental problems in the industry are homemade,” said Ralf Kutzner, executive board member of IG Metall.
On the initiative of IG Metall, the “Future Dialogue for Crafts” between the Federal Government, crafts associations and trade unions will start on March 8th at the International Crafts Fair in Munich. To this end, IG Metall calls for a greater commitment to training and further education and against the exodus of employees from the industry.
Energy transition requires better working conditions
“The employees in the trade support the energy and transport transition as well as the infrastructure required for this and work hard for the implementation. However, these endanger companies and politicians themselves if they further exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers,” said Ralf Kutzner. According to IG Metall, there is already a shortage of 190,000 skilled workers in the energy transition and building renovation alone.
Ralf Kutzner: “The trades have less of an image problem than a collective bargaining problem. Collective bargaining coverage is historically low. As a result, working hours are often excessive and the wage gap is high, especially for those with higher qualifications.” Two out of three trainees have left the trade and migrate to other sectors. “There are not too few craftsmen. There are too few who actually remain in the trade. However, securing skilled workers in the skilled trades can only be achieved with good working and training conditions that are secured by collective agreements. For years, the promised higher collective bargaining agreement has been limited to Sunday speeches by the trade associations. At the same time, the state must support fair competition, for example by awarding public contracts and subsidized renovation measures only to companies bound by collective agreements,” said IG Metall board member Kutzner.
Politicians must ensure better training and work infrastructure
Specifically, the IG Metall demands real equality between academic and vocational training paths through the binding implementation of the German Qualifications Framework (DQR), better equipment at vocational schools, inexpensive trainee housing, expansion of the promotion BAföG and free further training or master craftsman training. With a view to the efficiency of the trades for the energy transition, the IG Metall calls for digital ecosystems, with which energy consultants, authorities, funding bodies and the trades can network.
With a view to the start of the “Future Dialogue for Skilled Trades”, IG Metall board member Ralf Kutzner said: “The employees in the skilled trades deserve more appreciation and commitment from employers and politicians.”