Fahimi warns of “total attack” on welfare state

Berlin. DGB head Yasmin Fahimi accuses parts of the employers' association of wanting to torpedo the welfare state. "Indeed, some employer representatives are becoming increasingly aggressive, preventing the establishment of works councils, withdrawing from collective bargaining agreements, and launching a continuous barrage against the German welfare state," Fahimi told the news portal "Web.de News." "This worries me greatly because it means they are abandoning a culture of collective bargaining that is societal in nature," she emphasized.

Fahimi pointed out that unions had strongly advocated for measures to support the economy, such as energy prices and infrastructure. She expected the same common sense and willingness to assume responsibility from other social forces. "This is in no way consistent with a total attack on our welfare state. Parts of the employers' camp and politicians are demonstrating blatant ignorance of the ever-widening social gap in our country."

A good two months after taking office, Fahimi declined to pass judgment on the new coalition. Asked whether the CDU/CSU-Red coalition would be a worker-friendly government, she said: "I don't know yet." The federal government must first demonstrate that it will implement the plans contained in the coalition agreement—for example, strengthening collective bargaining agreements or employee participation.

RND/dpa