German Industry and Trade Association (DIHK) has warned of further job losses in Germany due to new labor market figures. “A further increasing unemployment, especially due to the loss of industrial jobs, is looming” said Achim Dercks, deputy managing director of the DIHK, to the Funke Media Group newspapers (Saturday editions). “The economic weakness is leaving its mark on the labor market in Germany more and more clearly.”
Dercks referred to the currently difficult situation for many companies. High energy costs and bureaucratic burdens are putting pressure on them, and an uncertain economic policy environment without planning security is adding to the challenges.
The DIHK vice also mentioned the skilled labor shortage as another burden for the companies. “According to the current DIHK survey, 43 percent of companies can only partially fill open positions. To improve the security of skilled workers, it is important to generally relieve the companies, in particular through a comprehensive bureaucracy reduction and more flexible working time regulations” Dercks demanded.
Furthermore, the politician should, in his opinion, focus on strengthening work incentives for recipients of social benefits, better framework conditions for the employment of women and older employees, as well as transparent and rapid procedures for the recruitment of skilled workers from abroad.