Master craftsmen lure prospective trainees with a new laptop as an entry-level gift. When interviewing for a job, graduates ask about their first sabbatical instead of haggling for a few more euros. And as you drive through town and country, you will come across notices in many places that say “Staff Wanted”. Do we still need a fight day like May 1st? Doesn’t the market, which is characterized by great demand for workers, ensure ever better conditions for employees?
The answer is: no. The general conditions for working life have steadily improved since the first May rallies at the end of the 19th century. But there can be no talk of an ideal working world. Despite the shortage of staff, there is widespread fear among employees of losing their jobs. A look at the job cuts that have already been announced shows that these concerns are justified. Production methods are changing, making activities superfluous or changing them. Here, the social partners, with the help of the state, are obliged to design ways to meet the new requirement profiles. The unions can have an important say in this.
Construction site wages: Low earners are increasingly disconnected from the development of prosperity. They are no longer easy to replace. But many companies are faced with the problem that they are no longer competitive with higher wage payments, for example in the catering industry. It is a difficult task for the unions to achieve living wages everywhere.
The issue of reducing working hours is also on the agenda. Given the shortage of skilled workers, it will be hard work for the unions to make progress here. Finally, a fair distribution of the financial burdens of an aging society between generations is also on the agenda. The right level of solidarity between old and young people in the workforce must be rebalanced. So even 134 years after the first day of work, there is no lack of justification.