The hairdressers also draw attention to themselves in lockdown.
Freising's Obermeister appeals to politics - and criticizes the citizens who turn to them for illegal haircuts.
District
- "Our service is our capital." With sentences like this, after restaurants, artists and retail, hairdressers (as reported) now draw attention to their situation.
“We need a perspective,” emphasizes Kerstin Stadler, head master of the Freising hairdressing and cosmetics guild.
No infections in hair salons
According to the professional association, there are no confirmed corona infections in the hairdressing sector.
“We have retrofitted our salons and have been complying with the hygiene and distance rules for months.
We can protect our customers, ”emphasizes the head foreman, who runs the k style'n cut salon in Lerchenfeld, on behalf of 34 businesses in the Freising district, which draw attention to themselves primarily on social media.
In some Bavarian districts, demonstrations are also taking place in front of the district offices these days.
"However, this happens under strict compliance with all corona rules.
We distance ourselves from corona deniers, mask refusers, groups from the right-wing scene.
We only want to draw attention to our situation, ”explains Stadler.
“We don't have the option of online trading, and we can't offer to go either,” says the 41-year-old.
"We work on people - but these so-called non-medical body-hugging services are currently banned."
Difficulties with funding
For more than a month and - after the lockdown was extended - probably until at least mid-February, the existentially necessary income would therefore be missing, and many of the around 80,600 companies across Germany were about to be shut down.
“The problem is that there are currently no grants for us.
The hairdressing industry falls through the cracks when it comes to bridging aids, ”says Freising's head master.
In order to be able to apply for this money, a company must be able to demonstrate at least a 30 percent drop in sales in December, for example.
"But because we worked almost superhumanly and far beyond our opening hours before the new lockdown in order to be able to serve as many customers as possible, almost no one got this 30 percent in December," explains Stadler.
As an entrepreneur, you currently only have two options: apply for basic security or take out a loan.
"Many customers do not know that we hairdressers are not automatically supported by the state."
We work on people - and that requires practice.
Kerstin Stadler, head master of the hairdressing guild
The Central Association of the German Hairdressing Trade has drawn up a position paper to draw the attention of politicians and the general public.
"This second lockdown and the associated collapse in sales in the Christmas business finally threaten the existence of many hairdressers," it says.
The central association makes three demands on the decision-makers: On the one hand, the bridging aid is precisely tailored, i.e. to be assessed on the basis of an evaluation on a weekly basis, in order to record the actual sales situation in the salons.
On the other hand, the training must be able to continue.
“The companies try their best to continue the training as best they can.
Due to the prohibition of services close to the body, however, a lot of important content cannot be conveyed, ”explains Kerstin Stadler.
“You can do a lot on the training head.
But we work on people - and we have to practice there. "
Finally, demand number three is a reduced VAT rate.
This could relieve hairdressers when starting over after the crisis.
5000 euros fine for illegal haircuts
Keyword illegal work: Similar to the first lockdown, Kerstin Stadler regularly receives inquiries these days as to whether she would not cut hair “privately”.
The 41-year-old already has a standard answer ready.
“My counter-question is always whether the haircut is worth 5,000 euros to the people.” That is the punishment that threatens hairdressers who are currently still doing their job.
“I ask whether a haircut is really vital for an eleven-year-old boy.” The distortion of competition caused by undeclared work is costing jobs and thereby endangering the company's existence.
There was also a threat of fines for customers.
With these haunting words, the master hairdresser wants to create awareness and appeal to the common sense of each individual.
"I am a hairdresser with heart and soul, and of course I would like to work again," says Kerstin Stadler.
But she also says: "It's just hair."
Between 200 and 400 people are tested for corona on the Freising Luitpold facility every day. But not all behave correctly.
You can always read all the latest news from Freising and the region here.