The economic and human effects of the Corona-crisis have Germany in a firm grip. Companies run the risk of suffering massive losses, and many of the employees are on short-time work (partial unemployment). For many voices from the economy and from business-related circles, the opportunity therefore seems favourable to present old demands in a new guise for restriction and reduction of employee rights, employee protection rights and the company constitution. There is at least hope that the demands will fall on fertile ground in these times.
For us as Christian trade unions, however, it is clear that there cannot be restriction on workers’ rights that have been fought over for decades. The federal president of the Christlicher Gewerkschaftsbund Deutschlands – CGB (Christian Trade Union Federation of Germany), Adalbert Ewen, puts it clearly: “Employee protection laws, such as those in the Working Time Act and the Protection Against Dismissal Act, and the Works Constitution with its decades-long well-established codetermination, are the cornerstones of our working world in Germany. They distinguish us from other countries and provide the best possible protection with appropriate liability of the employer. Even in times of crisis there is no reason to do it differently. It is entirely sufficient if the legitimation for video conferences for decision-making in times of crisis is included in the company constitution law.”
With this, the CGB federal president clearly rejects the calls for liberalisation of labour-law and makes clear that: “With us there will be no loosing up of employee rights. Corona does not justify everything!”
