How big will the farmers' protest be? Many questions still unanswered

Agriculture - How big will the farmers' protest be? Many questions still unanswered

The farmers' association has been taking its frustration with the federal government to the streets since before Christmas, and from Monday the farmers want to draw attention to their situation with a week of action.

Association President Joachim Rukwied is calling on the governing coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP to withdraw its plans to cut agricultural diesel and vehicle tax. He considers the improvements announced by the federal government on Thursday to be insufficient. The German Road Haulage, Logistics and Disposal Association (BGL) intends to join the protests next week.

The planned week of action has already caused a stir on social networks. "The German Farmers' Association distances itself in the strongest possible terms from morons with subversive fantasies, radicals and other extreme fringe groups who want to hijack our week of action and hijack our protest for their own ends," wrote the farmers' association on Instagram. A general strike, which is being talked about on the networks, is virtually impossible in Germany from a legal point of view. Employers are organized in both the farmers' association and the BGL - they can call for a protest, but this is not a legally protected strike.

The most important questions and answers about the upcoming week of action:

What exactly is the farmers' association planning?

In response to the federal government's austerity plans, the association has called for a week of action starting on January 8. It is to culminate in a major demonstration in Berlin on January 15. The details of what exactly will happen on the individual days are still open. Rallies and rallies have been announced for Monday, for example.

The federal government wanted to abolish tax breaks for farmers on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax in order to plug holes in the budget. On Thursday, it announced that it would partially reverse the planned cuts to subsidies. The motor vehicle tax exemption is to remain. The abolition of tax concessions for agricultural diesel will not be carried out in one step, it said.

This would not appease the farmers. "This can only be a first step," emphasized Rukwied. "Our position remains unchanged: Both proposals for cuts must be taken off the table." The association remains committed to the action week.

Farmers already demonstrated against the plans before Christmas, sometimes causing traffic obstructions. "The federal government's plans to increase taxes must be withdrawn," Association President Joachim Rukwied recently demanded. According to the association, more than 3,000 tractors came to the capital for a large protest in Berlin on December 18, while the police spoke of 1,700 tractors.

What are the hauliers planning?

The Federal Association of Road Haulage, Logistics and Disposal is calling for relief on tolls and diesel fuel and more money for roads, bridges and parking lots. The association therefore wants to join the farmers' campaigns. "We are starting the week of action on January 8 with demonstrations in the state capitals," it said. Details are still lacking here too.

What effects can be expected?

This is difficult to estimate in view of the still incomplete information situation - but major chaos on the streets is not yet foreseeable. It is likely that there will be isolated and regional disruptions; demonstrations with tractors in particular usually attract a lot of attention and tend to cause traffic jams simply because of the size of the vehicles. It is also possible that farmers will occasionally block roads with their tractors. However, this is not expected to have a major impact on the everyday lives of most people in Germany.

What role does the train drivers' union GDL play in this?

The GDL is currently in difficult wage negotiations with Deutsche Bahn and is likely to call a longer strike on the railways in the next few days. However, this has nothing to do with the plans of farmers and freight forwarders, there is merely a coincidental overlap in time. The goals of the organizations are also completely different: the GDL is seeking more money for a good 10,000 DB employees, not criticism of the traffic light government.

Whether actions by farmers will cause chaos in traffic at the same time as a GDL strike is also completely open and depends on the exact plans of the two organizations - which are not yet known in detail.

General strike - is that even possible in Germany?

No, general strikes are virtually impossible in Germany and the term is out of place for the upcoming events. The right to strike is a valuable asset in the Federal Republic. However, it is crucial that the strike relates to the conclusion of a collective agreement, not to political goals or ideas. "Case law in Germany clearly states that strikes for political goals are not possible. General strikes for political goals are also excluded," Ernesto Klengel from the Hugo Sinzheimer Institute for Labor and Social Law told the German Press Agency.

In the case of strikes for collective agreements, the participants are legally protected; such industrial action may not be cited as a reason for dismissal, for example. This protection does not apply to protests or demonstrations during working hours. So anyone who stops work next week to show solidarity with the farmers against the policies of the federal government risks consequences.

"Of course you can call for demonstrations, even as a business association. Legally, however, this is on a completely different level to a strike," explained Klengel. "An unlawful strike or general strike could result in claims for damages for the associations. That's probably why they are distancing themselves from the term."