Being more German??

Many years ago, back in the 1970s, there were many strikes in the English Ford factory, but few or none in the German equivalent. Executives were sent to the UK from Germany to find out what was wrong. They reported back that in Germany the workers and bosses speak with the same accent, send their kids to the same schools, and live in the same areas. They said the exact opposite was true in the UK, when led to dreadful social divisions, mistrust, and industrial unrest.

So in today's world Micelf's analysis makes absolute sense.

In my last job, the boss wanted a unionised workforce, and absolutely believed in unions, because when there is a union rate, rival firms cannot undercut you on pay. As the work was very service oriented, and wages were a high proportion of the expenses, this was very important. Union rates - and everyone gets them, whether in the union or not - are what has stopped the downward spiral in pay and conditions here in Australia, and helped get us through the GFC unscathed, much better than the US and the UK.

Another reason that boss prefered workers in the union was that when there was trouble, he had to deal with a union delegate, not a peed off employee.

I too read the article GillieB refers to in Saturday's Telegraph and watched this programme with interest. My dear departed (German) mother would have been proud of the prominence of my German genes as I felt so much of what I saw made eminent sense! What a great idea to give tax breaks to Mums of young children so that they are not forced to go back to work if they don't want to. What a great idea not to "hothouse" young children with attainment targets and levels and all that stuff but have a forest nursery where they can play in the open air and climb trees without Health&Safety breathing down their necks, And for this nursery to cost 150 Euros a month - wow! Most English nurseries would be charging that per week.Yes, the short German school day does make it harder for working parents, but many regions are introducing (or thinking of ) "Ganztagschulen" (all day school) and even in the UK many secondary schools - not just primaries, already finish around 3 which is not a lot of use to parents who are expected to still be at their desks until 6 or later. And to have a proper weekend - I think iour working Sundays undermine family life. They have got the work/life balance in better proprtion than we have and I have for some time found their standard of living and quality of life enviable. Maybe I am turning Japanese German!

I read about this programme in the "Weekend" section of the "Daily Telegraph" on Saturday - and what I found interesting was that the woman journalist who took part in the month long exchange said that Germans generally do not use their telephones, use social media, etc., whilst they work (her DH was working in a factory for a month). Germans actually work shorter hours than we do in the UK, but are more productive - I think giving up personal use of the phone, computer, etc., is an easy exchange for shorter working hours. My DH, before his retirement, worked with German companies, and he said he agreed with what the journalist had written. I am looking forward to watching the actual programme this evening.

Reasons why the German economy flourishes is because 87% of the workforce is unionised, there is compulsory worker representation on all boards and free collective bargaining. But Cameron et al don't want us know that.

I once visited my Austrian friend's family for dinner, ( I was an au pair in Vienna) and the Mum was astounded when I got up to help with the washing up. She thought only Austrian and German girls did this!!!! I told her my Mum had brought me up that way, and that we all shared the housework back in Yorkshire, even my brothers. That surprised her even more. Back then, Austrian (and I presume also German) men got away with it completely.

So no - I wouldn't want the German way!!!

vee have vays of making you.....