Notes
Those of us who, over the years, had become heartily sick of hearing Ger- m, an strictures on the unsatisfactory state of industrial relations in this country, will con- template the present four-week-long strug- gle between the West German Metalworkers' union, IG-Metall, and the Gesanumetall employers' federation, not without a certain degree of Schadenfreude. o15 May, IG-Metall, Europe's largest !rad e union, ordered a strike in support of its demand for the reduction of the working week from 40 hours to 35 hours, by means of which work for some of the 2,253,466 unemployed is somehow going to be found. The German employers, made of sterner stuff than their British counterparts, im- mediately retaliated by locking out all those workers who, they claimed, were unable to fulfil their normal duties for want of vital Parts. But unlike members of IG-Metall, Who receive strike pay from their union, the workers who have been laid off, not being themselves directly involved in the dispute, are not entitled to any social security
Payments. Nevertheless the employers are surety right in refusing to grant the union s
re, quest. For a cut in the working week will silt ply mean less work for more pay, which will Inevitably increase labour costs and add Tilifore People to the list of the unemploye.d. , a shorter working week were to be in- troduced, ..._ IlLed, either all the work that is now ..°.rie in 40 hours will only be completed
hours the help of five additional overtime aa9urs without anyone extra being liked, or those now in employment would have to be Prepared to accept a reduction in pay so
itigs to enable fresh hands to be taken on. tee latest
argument that the latest
will offset the employers' losses work disingenuous: for if that is the case what d°,)rk are the new employees supposed to 110,,' A 35-hour working week is not in itself
nothing but its pursuit will do
gwo,thing to reduce unemployment. Mean- while we must all be very self-restrained, and not gloat about the 'German sickness'.
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