Germany’s IGBCE Seeks to Protect Coal Subsidies in Election

IGBCE, ICEM’s German affiliate, is squarely opposed to a plan by a conservative CDU candidate to cut coalmine subsidies. Jürgen Rüttgers, a candidate in the federal state election of North Rhine-Westphalia, has proposed cutting by half the subsidy. “It is politically senseless to think about breaking legal treaties,” stated IGBCE President Hubertus Schmoldt. “If we half the coal submission, mass reduction of miners will follow. That will cost the state of North Rhine-Westphalia far more than the share of the reduction.”