In stark contrast to the US, labor unions remain a strong force in Germany. Approximately 25% of all German employees belong to unions under the umbrella of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB) while the percentage of unionized Americans has fallen to less than 10%. So the events over the past several weeks in Wisconsin, where the Republican governor wants to deprive public employees of collective bargaining rights, have caught the attention of media in Germany. The governor's ploy is seen as an attempt to eliminate unions altogether in the US.
Was Gouverneure wie Scott Walker unter dem Vorwand der Budgetsanierung betreiben, ist eine weitere Polarisierung des Landes. Es war die schmale, schwerreiche Geldelite, die 2008 den Finanzkollaps verursachte und die Rezession verschärfte, welche die Defizite der Bundesstaaten ansteigen liess. Die Defizite vorzuschieben, um die Gewerkschaften auszuhebeln und damit ein Gegengewicht zu den Interessen der Wirtschaftselite aus der Welt zu schaffen, ist Demagogie. Die Massenkundgebungen in Wisconsin, Ohio und Indiana zeigen jetzt, dass sich die Wähler nicht mehr jeden Schwindel bieten lassen.
(What governors like Scott Walker are doing under the guise of budgetary prudence is an effort to further polarize the country. It was a tiny wealthy elite who caused the financial collapse of 2008 which exacerbated the recession and led to the budget deficits in the states. It is pure demogoguery to blame the deficits on the unions and then try to eliminate the only remaining counterweight to the economic elite. The mass demonstrations in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana show that the voters refuse to fall for the subterfuge any longer.)
It is astonishing to see poorly paid teachers as the target for Tea Party wrath. Evidently it is the goal of US Republicans to once and for all eliminate public education in the US, replacing it with Christian home schooling. The leadership of the German teachers union (GEW - Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft) has come out in strong support of the Wisconsin public teachers:
Tatsache ist, dass gewerkschaftlich organisierte Beschäftigte im öffentlichen Dienst in den USA zu den wenigen Arbeitnehmergruppen gehören, die noch auf eine gute Kranken- und Rentenversicherung vertrauen können. „Was jetzt in Wisconsin passiert, betrifft auch uns in Deutschland“, so der GEW-Vorsitzende Ulrich Thöne, der den Vorsitzenden der beiden US-Bildungsgewerkschaften NEA und AFT, Dennis van Roekel und Randi Weingarten, die Solidarität der GEW zusicherte. „Wir müssen uns international dagegen wehren, das Arbeitnehmer im öffentlichen Dienst für die Krise der öffentlichen Haushalte bezahlen, die durch falsche Politik und unkontrollierte Finanzmärkte verursacht ist. Der Angriff auf soziale Errungenschaften und Gewerkschaftsrechte im öffentlichen Dienst in Wisconsin muss abgewehrt werden. Wir stehen an eurer Seite und wünschen euch Kraft und Zusammenhalt, um diesen Kampf zu gewinnen.“
("The fact is, uniionized public workers in the US are one of the few groups of American workers who enjoy decent health care and pension benefits. "What is happening in Wisconsin affects us in Germany", said the chairman of the German teachers union Ulrich Thöne, who expressed his solidarity with the heads of both American teachers unions - the NEA and AFT - Dennis van Rockel and Randi Weingarten. "We need to work together internationally to resist the efforts to blame public employees for budget crisis, which was the result of bad policies and the unregulated financial markets. This assault on the social achievements and union rights of public employees in Wisconsin must be resisted at all costs. We stand by you and know you have the strenght and collective resolve to prevail.")
It will be interesting to see if the Republicans can succeed in destroying labor unions in the US and realize their dream of an American plutocracy.
Excellent. The statement is concise and well worded and puts the blame where it belongs: on the greedy capitalists who have robbed the workers.
Posted by: Hattie | March 04, 2011 at 04:56 PM
U.S.A. State Sponsored Terror (rock music video) Released
Anti U.S. Police State Musician/activist releases his 5th rock video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXbojImKNlI
Television interview at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RTAmerica#p/u/1/2KxmgZRUOnU
Posted by: scott huminski | March 05, 2011 at 08:55 PM
I am their supporter too.
Go teachers.. Go!
Posted by: freelance writing opportunities | December 05, 2011 at 01:17 PM