Trade president accuses Scholz of deceiving himself.
The Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has been frequently praising the economic success of the traffic light coalition. However, many businesses are not quite sold on this idea. The President of Handicraft, Jörg Dittrich, critiques Scholz for not aligning with genuine measures of success. He thinks Scholz is merely attempting to improve his public image.
Dittrich was quoted saying, "The Chancellor has a very own view of things." While Scholz frequently emphasizes that 46 million people are currently socially insured and employed, some questions hang in the air. "Is that still the right success criterion? Or shouldn't we focus on how well-prepared we are for the future, if we're investing enough, how we can boost our low growth potential, and how we can compete with other nations?" Dittrich queried, adding his voice to the criticism from other economic groups and economists. Even the coalition partners FDP and Greens are demanding structural reforms.
Scholz, on the other hand, seems to have a different perspective.
The President of Central Association of German Crafts (ZDH) also pointed fingers at his own industry, urging businesses to take a more active role in attracting young people towards vocational training. "Crafts offer good salaries and opportunities for personal growth, not to mention security. While jobs in industry or banks may vanish due to automation or AI in the next couple of decades, crafts could provide a sense of community and fulfillment," Dittrich stated. He added that the crafts might even replace some social workers since apprentices can gain emotional support from their craftsmen.
Dittrich defended craftsmen against criticism by asserting that they are less reachable than large corporations and unfairly compensated. "Large corporations are flaunting their high profitability, yet we, as craftsmen, are expected to account for a few extra euros while we take considerable personal risks," Dittrich argued. He also added that a significant portion of these extra expenses is distributed among the employees, whose salaries have recently spiked.
Dittrich admitted that he is worried that some craft services might become too costly and cease to be requested, potentially even disappearing into the black market. "But this isn't a problem with craftsmen. It's a general issue, as the majority of cost hikes come from factors outside our control. For example, if we keep raising the cost of cement production due to CO2 tax, then this might be necessary from an ecological standpoint. But it will result in higher fees in construction," he told the newspaper.
Edit: Some portions were missing from the original text and have been added now.
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The craft trades industry, represented by the President of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts, Jörg Dittrich, has expressed concerns about the skills shortage and the need for structural reforms. Dittrich criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz for focusing on the number of socially insured and employed individuals as a success criterion, suggesting that the focus should shift to preparing for the future and increasing competitiveness against other nations.
