Dhe President of the Association of German Machine and Plant Manufacturers, Karl Haeusgen, advocates a return to the 40-hour week and retirement at the age of 68. “The labor shortage is becoming more dramatic from year to year,” said Haeusgen of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “We cannot avoid extending and making working hours more flexible.”
The mechanical and plant engineers could already not fill 14,000 jobs today. The 40-hour week must become the rule again in the metal and electrical industry and the 35-hour week the exception. “The issue will eventually reach the unions. The pain just has to be big enough,” said the VDMA President: “The 40-hour week will come.”
“Gretas of our time should ideally become mechanical engineers”
In addition, longer working lives are necessary. “I think a pension at 68 is a viable option,” said the mechanical engineering president. At the very least, employees should be able to work until they are 68 if they want to. However, those who do work that is harmful to their health should be able to retire earlier.
The workforce potential must be better exploited. The proportion of women in engineering jobs has increased, “but eleven percent is still a miserable number,” said Haeusgen. Technology and machines, such as wind turbines, are needed to protect the climate. “So the Gretas of our time should ideally be mechanical engineers.”
Mechanical and plant engineering is one of Germany’s most important branches of industry. The industry employs 1.2 million people, has exported machines for 192 billion euros in recent years and generated 244 billion euros.