“I miss credibility at the DGB”

The editors received the following letter on the article “DGB chief demands tax on the wealthy” from May 2nd

On Labor Day – Bavaria’s DGB chairman Bernhard Stiedl emphasized in his “combative” speech in Schweinfurt that the core of the problems in Germany is when there is wealth (endlessly upwards) and on the other hand people “in the crash to soup kitchen”. The income gap is widening, social injustice is increasing. The union will not accept that and will fight against it – the “management” is always to blame for this, whoever is meant by it. (Never the unions?) Consequently, a “tax on the wealthy” is demanded, which incidentally already existed with the property levy demanded after the war years – and later with the property tax – and most recently with a solidarity surcharge on income tax. Nevertheless, the wealth gap is widening.

I find it pure hypocrisy to sharply criticize the “scissors opening spiral” (which is completely correctly shown as such and thus also unfair development), but to totally ignore one’s own shared responsibility.

For decades unions have struggled to achieve progress for all workers by almost exclusively increasing wages by percentage. It is precisely here that those who have a higher income have an advantage over those who earn significantly less. And that has been cumulative since the early 1960s. I experienced that myself.

A wage increase of eight percent from the basis of a craftsman with, for example, 1500 euros a month years ago, compared to an industrial worker with 2400 euros at the time, is already elementary school wisdom that with further percentage increases from the new basis the gap widens and ultimately the denounced “wealth ‘ is continuously promoted by the union.

In addition to the differences in working hours – 34-hour week on the one hand, thousands of euros “success bonus” per employee at BMW, Mercedes and Porsche, while a fitter for solar panels on the roof of a “rich man” receives no success bonus even in winter – and craftsmen none strike with “taking hostages” of millions of citizens. Where’s the justice in that?

I miss credibility and intelligence for responsibility at the DGB.

Helmut Brand
97456 Hambach