Berlin/Frankfurt am Main – IG Metall is demanding better working conditions from craft companies so as not to jeopardize the climate goals of the federal government. On the occasion of the “heat pump summit” of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Federal Building, the union calls for more appreciation for the employees, so that specialists in the industry no longer turn their backs.
Better working conditions against a shortage of skilled workers
“Two thirds of young, well-trained employees in the trades migrate to other sectors,” said Ralf Kutzner, executive board member of IG Metall. The electrical and plumbing, heating and air conditioning trades alone lose over 18,000 skilled workers from each training year, including to industry. “The craft is proud to be the ‘educator of the nation’. However, it would be better to be a trainer for the craft,” said Kutzner.
IG Metall is therefore calling on companies to start a massive campaign to retain and bring employees back to work on the subject of good work. This is a crucial requirement in order to be able to achieve the goal of 500,000 heat pumps to be installed every year. “The trade and its customers need sufficient and well-qualified specialists. And skilled workers need attractive working conditions,” demanded Kutzner. Employees expect collective agreements and thus good regulations for working hours, wages and further training. Instead, skilled workers were often deterred by a six-day week, a lack of or inadequate old-age provision and long, unpaid journeys.
Heat pump offensive requires fully trained specialists
IG Metall clearly rejects demands from individual companies in the heating industry for narrow-track training to remedy the shortage of skilled workers: “For qualified installations, we don’t need cheap ex and hop, but attractive, strong and sustainable full training for skilled workers instead of deregulation. The installation of heat pumps in particular is very complex and, in addition to professional training, also requires experience and additional qualifications,” said Kutzner.
IG Metall expects the federal government to take a broader view of the heat pump offensive. Ralf Kutzner: “Beyond the problem of skilled workers, we need an active industrial policy for the production of heat pumps in Germany and an expansion of combined heat and power.”