13/06/2004Al-Ahram Newspaper 2004/JUNE /13
German Minister of Economy and Labor paid a very successful and constructive visit to Cairo, according to the German and Egyptian corporate community. This article looks into the new ministry that he is going to hold in Germany. It also explains how this newly-created institution can combine two parties – workers and industry – with traditionally opposite goals and orientations.(Available in Arabic – German in PDF )
German Minister of Economy and Labor paid a very successful and constructive visit to Cairo, according to the German and Egyptian corporate community. Yet, this very meeting also left an unanswered question mark: how has Germany been able to set up a ministry like the Ministry of Industry and Labor? After all, industry and labor are two extremes – perhaps even rivals – with different goals and strategies. Concepts are changing and so are the ultimate goals of both industry and trade unions, thanks primarily to the introduction of clear-cut laws regulating the relationship between employers and workers. Now, both parties‘ main concern is to eliminate unemployment and create highly-qualified workers.