Germany: new head of metal employers’ organization wants to commit to an even more flexible labor market

September 14 was the transfer of power between the former and the new President of the German association of metal industries.  “He knows the metal and electrical engineering industry, he knows the IG-Metall, and he knows the way collective bargaining works and its subtleties.  I am sure this knowledge will be more than useful in his new role” said Jörg Hoffmann, member of the IG-Metall union’s board and President of the union’s powerful regional federation in southwestern Germany, the heart of the German industry.  This appreciation from one of the collective bargaining experts in the country, who repeatedly negotiated with Mr. Dugler, shows the continuity of the relations between the sector’s social partners in recent years.  In spite of a highly different view of appeal to temporary work and the use of labor leasing with subcontractors, dialogue is still on, as with the “sacred union” in 2008-09 when the social partners joined forces to convince the government to massively extend short-time working measures.  This strategy helped strengthen employment in businesses and played a major part in the current “German employment miracle.”