GERMANY: Among steps being taken by the German metalworkers' union IG Metall against Gerhard Schroeder's "Agenda 2010" reform plan is its participation in an action week, from May 12-17, organised by the German trade union confederation DGB with its member unions.
The announced reforms contained in the German chancellor's programme, which was presented to Parliament in March, caused an uproar among the country's trade unions due to the planned dismantling of three major elements of German social security:
- unemployment benefits to be levelled down to welfare and shortened,
- protection against dismissal to be reduced,
- health-care costs to increase.
The unions have strongly condemned Agenda 2010 as an attack on what has been achieved in more than a century of combined efforts by the trade unions and social democracy. A spokesperson for IG Metall said reforms were needed that would bring growth and contribute to job creation, but this was not the case with Agenda 2010.
In a letter to the Social Democratic and Green members of Parliament, IG Metall president, Klaus Zwickel, has accused Schroeder of breaking promises not to touch such social measures, made at IG Metall's Future Congress in June 2002, in discussions with trade union presidents immediately after last September's elections, and in a meeting with the IG Metall Executive in February 2003.
In addition to the upcoming Action Week, IG Metall and other unions made their objection to Agenda 2010 the focus of their protests during May 1st marches throughout the country. Many more rallies, petitions, distribution of information, Internet discussion between union members and members of Parliament are being organised, and alternative proposals are being put forth. The culmination of trade union protest will take place on May 24 with a nationwide action day by all DGB member unions.
