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Olaf Scholz at the performance on May 1st in Düsseldorf: clear words to pacifists
Photo: SASCHA STEINBACH / EPA
Olaf Scholz can't please anyone at the moment.
Some criticize him for being too hesitant about his Ukraine policy.
Others blame him for the recently decided delivery of tanks.
The Chancellor felt this tension during his speech at a rally of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) on Labor Day in Düsseldorf.
The chancellor had to strain his voice to make himself heard and to deal with loud protesters.
Among other things, they shouted »Make peace without weapons«.
Scholz, in turn, countered the demonstrators that radical pacifism was no longer up-to-date in view of the Russian attack on Ukraine.
"I respect every pacifism, I respect every attitude, but it must seem cynical to a citizen of Ukraine when he is told to defend himself against Putin's unarmed aggression," said Scholz.
"It's out of date!"
The chancellor added: “I will say very clearly: we will not allow borders to be moved by force and territory to be conquered.”
Like many European countries, Germany will continue to support Ukraine with money, humanitarian aid and weapons against the Russian attack.
He was grateful that there was so much support in Germany and also "in this square, despite some who called in," said Scholz to protesters who insulted him as a warmonger during the speech.
Scholz is a strong leader
The chancellor had previously defended his strategy in the Ukraine war in an interview.
“I make my decisions quickly—and in concert with our allies.
I am suspicious of hasty action and German going it alone,” said the SPD politician to “Bild am Sonntag”.
In doing so, he responded to allegations that he was acting too hesitantly and fearfully.
At the DGB rally, Scholz promised that the traffic light coalition would stick to other projects despite increasing defense spending.
"We will not end any of our projects that we want to initiate for a more just and solidary society in this country," said the SPD politician.
This also applies if the government now has to spend more money on security and defense, he said, referring to the planned EUR 100 billion special fund for the German armed forces.
As examples, Scholz cited basic child security, the increase in disability pensions and the construction of affordable housing.
Scholz also referred to the increase in the minimum wage to twelve euros.
DGB boss warns against cuts in the welfare state
The DGB rallies on May 1 were all about the Ukraine war.
Union boss Reiner Hoffmann urgently warned against increasing the military budget permanently and neglecting the welfare state.
"We say no to massive rearmament," said the DGB chairman in Berlin.
»We need this money for future investments in the transformation.
And we need it for the efficiency of our welfare state.« Military peacekeeping must not be at the expense of social peace.
In his previously circulated speech manuscript for the central rally on May 1, Hoffmann sharply condemned the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
“We demand: armistice now!” declared the DGB chairman.
He assured the people in Ukraine of solidarity and praised the help for people who had fled to Germany from the war zone.
"Now it is also important that the qualifications of the refugees are recognized unbureaucratically," explained Hoffmann.
"It's good that the job market is open to all refugees, regardless of nationality or skin color." The aim is for people to find work under decent conditions quickly.
"But I warn all those employers who think they can employ refugees for lousy wages and terrible working conditions," Hoffmann continued.
The victims of the need and misery of the war "should not also be exploited by unscrupulous capitalists."
Unions want to negotiate "decent" wages in collective bargaining
The trade unionist has criticized demands from employers for wage restraint in collective bargaining for ten million workers this year.
"In these weeks, 70 billion euros in dividends will be paid out to shareholders," explained Hoffmann.
»Many companies are profiteers from the crisis and bring in substantial extra profits, just look at the mineral oil companies.
That is not how it works."
Decent collective wages and more collective agreements are needed, as well as a lower wage limit that protects against poverty.
The relief package of the traffic light coalition against the sharp rise in energy prices is correct, but not sufficient.
Hoffmann demanded that pensioners should be included and the burden on poor people should be increased.
Most recently, some economists and employer representatives had called on the unions to hold back on collective bargaining.
Reason: A wage-price spiral should not be set in motion.
This is based on the theory that rising wages inevitably lead to higher product prices and as a result prices and wages mutually inflate.
Union demands 100 billion special funds for education
Concern that high military spending would slow down other government projects was a key issue on May 1st.
The chairwoman of the Education and Science Union (GEW), Maike Finnern, called for a 100 billion euro special fund for education.
This should finance measures to improve equal opportunities in Germany, Finnern said on Sunday at the DGB rally on May 1st in Essen.
»Equal educational opportunities are crucial for the development of our society.
They enable people to participate and lead a self-determined life.«
Finnern was referring to the 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had announced in response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
The GEW chairwoman made it clear that she fundamentally welcomed the educational projects of the traffic light coalition.
But she also stated: "The new federal government presents itself with a lot of pathos." As good and progressive as the plans sounded, "so little is said about the price tags that hide behind the announced measures".
The right projects include the announced improvements in the care ratio in the day care centers and quality standards for all-day care, as well as the start opportunities program, which is intended to take effect for 20 percent of general and vocational schools.
More permanent positions at the universities and the continuation of the national further training strategy are also real projects.
"It all costs money, a lot of money," said Finnern.
»The special fund is a solution.«
mmq/Reuters/dpa
