German steelworkers demand the right to take two years' worth of "work-life balance" 28-hour work weeks to look after children or aging parents

[LutherBlisset]

@nojaboja

My argument is not that IGM is wrong to make the case for 28hr week but, that they are wrong to ignore that a shrinking number of people are protected through them.

The issue is less, whether or not young people want to join the union and more, whether or not their working reality is recognised and represented by the union i.e. whether / how the union can protect those with casual / temporary contracts.

I agree with basically everything you did. My point is that they want people to join to have a higher degree of organisation within the industry.

Also, in the German system, it is considered highly unusual to have two different types of contracts for union members and non-union members. If any employer tries to do that - and of course they do - the unions are usually going to war. And rightly so. “Wahrung des Betriebsfriedens” is a goal for both employees and employers, but one job - one pay (etc) is a political goal the unions fought for long and hard.

Again, you are absolutely right there is a strong neo-liberalist tendency to undermine that. And if the degree of organisation falls further, the IG Metall will have a serious problem. Hence the publicity-making call for 28 h: get people discussing, involved, and organised. That’s the pitch, and that’s the project, from my POV.