Berlin – IG Metall is calling on the federal government to focus more on the energy and heating sectors and to promote them in a targeted manner. In view of their strategic importance for achieving the climate goals and a secure energy supply, it is now important to strengthen local skills, stabilize and rebuild value chains and combine employment with good working conditions.
“With their know-how, our energy and heating sectors are indispensable for the success of the energy and heating transition,” emphasizes Wolfgang Lemb, executive board member of IG Metall, at a specialist conference with works councils. “As a supplier of systems, products and components, you play a key role in the conversion of the energy and heat supply. At the same time, these sectors are under massive pressure. That is why politicians must act faster and more consistently.”
The surprising news of the sale of the heat pump manufacturer Viessmann was discussed intensively among the conference participants. Wolfgang Lemb said: “Economics Minister Robert Habeck announced today that he would carefully examine the takeover. I welcome that.” Manufacturers like Viessmann are part of a key industry when it comes to converting the energy supply. “For this strategically important production, IG Metall expects site guarantees and job security at the Allendorf site. We at IG Metall will do everything in our power to achieve this.”
The photovoltaic and wind industry is stuck in a ruinous competition to the bottom. The conventional power plant and heating technology, which is still required for the transition, has to deal with great planning uncertainties. Previous technology leaders in energy and heat generation are leaving Germany and Europe. Development and production of important components are relocated. Crucial supply chains are at risk. Over 60,000 jobs in companies in the relevant sectors have been cut in recent years.
In view of this mixed situation, the works councils from companies in the affected sectors have passed a joint declaration. In it, they call on the federal government to take concrete steps to ensure a successful energy and heating transition in this country.
In this way, investments are to be promoted and secured in the long term. This can be done via changed depreciation rules for investments relevant to transformation, via PPAs, procurement quotas or transformation fund models. The system of risk protection for important energy and heat projects must be further developed, is one of the demands from the paper.
Public tenders, subsidies and awarding must therefore be linked to industrial value creation in Germany and to the preservation of locations and employment. This with binding qualitative criteria such as employment, qualification, co-determination and collective agreements. The CO2 balance must also be taken into account in the future.
The joint declaration was adopted as part of the IG Metall industry conference for energy and heat technologies in Berlin. Here, works councils from companies in the conventional energy plant and power plant construction, heating, photovoltaic, solar and wind industries discussed the current challenges of their industries from the employee perspective together with representatives from science and politics.