It might be a generational thing too, I hear reports of the younger generations taking more sick leave for mental health reasons.
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I also read this other article from newspaper in Berlin.
The issue with sick days is that they’re full days. Once the doc writes a document, it’s illegal to work. Then, there’s the very real issue of parents with sick children. Once again, full day off. The opportunity to do both things seems to be not there. But, this is the newspaper take on it. Is it like that in reality?
Here in Switzerland, sometimes I don’t feel well, but anyway take the important call of the day, or do the work that blocks other people from starting. 2 or 3 hours and no more. Then, I just report hours like this, part work, part sick.
When I’m sick, I call it in. Usually, after the 3rd day, I should see a doctor.
More so because the $job can then claim back part of my salary from insurance than that they don’t trust me (I have years with zero sick days, so they generally trust me).
The problem in Germany is rising pressure at the workplace, sometimes the job involves more BS and more regulations, hindering actual “work”.
Basically, the middle class in Germany is on the brink of being wiped-out, once more. When that happens, we’re in deep-shit-creek.
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13 posts were merged into an existing topic: The ruling German coalition has collapsed:
Move to the electric cars would improve quality of air - yes, in Germany. While there where you wish to dig your lithium it will destroy the air, the land, the water and everything else. But you couldn’t care less, could you?
As far as Germany is concerned, especially their PM, oh well… remind me to cry.
i actually never heard of him, but the thing that he managed to topple the government is telling. Finally!
Go Lindner, go!
Music to my ears.
I knew Porsche owned the majority of VW AG stock, and Lower Saxony government owning a significant part too.
Also, the 650 million USD plans from Audi to enter Formula 1 while VW firing 30k employees are not compatible. So, just waiting for an announcement about this.
Now, there are some rumors about Qatar Holding LLC investing on Audi F1 team which would be a complement to owning 17% of VW AG. What? Wait a min, 17% of VW owned by Qatar?
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/qatar-poised-for-buy-in-of-audis-f1-team/10671936/
Maybe the current crisis is an excellent opportunity for some people to increase their VW ownership stake.
Maybe it is not a German problem only.
I am surprised that one subject seems to be largely missing from the current debate, i.e. military EVs.
Looking at some Tesla styling, are they meant to appeal to the generals? I suspect Elons interest in satellites and rockets is not really about Mars (even he is not that deranged), but much more about military applications. And producing military vehicles in car factories has a long tradition. Is that the answer for Volkswagen again?
https://www.heise.de/news/Bericht-VW-will-weiteres-Werk-in-China-verkaufen-10191849.html
China, too.
Of course, if people there keep buying cars not made by VW/SAIC, that’s the only logical conclusion.
Adding to the woes, the Bundesbahn cargo section has announced that they are going to cull another 5000 jobs on top of the 3000 jobs already set to be lost.
WTF is going on here?
Not on top. And by 2029 and mostly in overhead. Which probably means they don’t replace retirees.
Yes, but all the same, what is going on in Germany that demands for thousands of people to be fired.
I was watching a report on SpiegelTV about the people at VW, they have worked at the plant their whole lives and even the towns and villages in the area are so in line with VW that they won´t survive on their own.
Still, the unemployment rate in Germany is around 3.3%, much lower than the long-term one which is almost double that. Germany has many problems, undeniably, but fundamentally, its not a broken economy.
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An excellent article how within a few years China changed from car importer to exporter, how by using state support and subsidies created a vast indigenous overcapacity in car manufacturing (including parts for ICEs and batteries for EVs) and is about to flood the global market with cars made in China.
Will China Take Over the Global Auto Industry?
Edit: the factory automation/robots are manufactured by Chinese companies as well.
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Porsche is set to terminate 8000 jobs as the e-car sector has failed and the sales to China have all but stopped.
I remember the discussions from a while back where economists warned the big manufacturers about investing in China and having to transfer technology in order to do so.
They now get to say: “Told you so!”
Not sure why you’re replying to me. My point was unemployment rate in Germany is still low, by both EU standards and historical data. Current data has it at around 3.3%. All the doom and gloom about Germany is only somewhat justified and exhibits the typical human behaviour: exuberance with positive news and doom with negative news both ignoring fundamentals.
Sorry my bad, wasn´t then, am now.
Actually I am trying not to ignore the fundamentals, but as the saying goes:
“Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein” continues dripping hollows out the stone.
A few thousand jobs here, a few thousand jobs there, that is not the point, the point is that instead of losing jobs just in the small and medium sized companies where nobody gives a damn the job losses are in the system relevant companies and it is not only the jobs that are being lost it is the infrastructure, it is everything that has been built to depend on the jobs that are now being lost.
Germany is now sliding into an economic minus, not for the first time it has happened before but now the fequency of growth is getting shorter and shorter with growth being calculated in the 0,01, two decimal places before the comma…!
Drip! Drip! Drip!
And the ALQ is around 6%
It’s not all about China though. People who want Porsches don’t want electric cars.
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