CNV

On the occasion of an international meeting of the WOW in April in Berlin, representatives of Christian trade unions from different countries of Europe discussed the change of the working sphere due to demographic changes.

Participants of this conference were: CNV Dienstenbond (Christelijk National Vakverbond), the Netherlands; CFTC (Confédération Francaise des Travailléurs Chrétién), France; KRIFA (Kristelige Fagbevægelse), Denmark; FCG/GPA (Fraktion Christlicher Gewerkschafter/Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten), Austria; CGM, CGB and DHV, Germany.

The World Organization of Workers, in which Christian trade unions have united themselves, fights worldwide for the rights of the employees. In order to also improve the work situation of older employees in Central and Western European countries, the representatives of the European members of the WOW regularly meet to exchange experiences. These collected realizations are used for the further development of the common European strategy for the improvement of the working conditions.

During the two-day meeting the participants of the conference discussed the different effects of the demographic changes in their respective countries. Hereby, the question of the downslide of the pension-transition for older employees was of particular focus in the considerations. But of course also the effect of the financial crisis within the different countries was a topic of this conference. Here, in particular, the questions of short-time work, threatening dismissals and the consequences for the pension systems were discussed.

For that reason the host-organization had, with the President of the German old age pension insurance Union, Mr. Dr. Herbert Rische, invited a competent discussion partner, who on the hand of the financial crisis placed the advantages of the German old age pension insurance opposite a predominantly capital market-financed system. Additionally, Mr. Dr. Rische elaborated, that the German system of allocation reacts far less susceptible to the financial crisis than other kinds of old age pension-insurance businesses. A broad discussion developed over the different systems in Europe, whereby also the problems of the pension plans in other European countries, which are more strongly affected by the financial crisis, were pointed out.

The participants of the conference agreed with Mr. Dr. Rische, that the Tariff-partners should also in the future continue to provide regulations, which make a gentle transition of pension-interests possible. Such regulations will further contribute to the support of the acclaimed German pension system.

Martin Grießer, CGM Stuttgart