As of: February 5, 2024, 8:20 a.m
By: Ulrike Osman
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A successful surprise: district master craftsman Markus Wasserle (right) with the newly crowned honorary district craftsman Ernst Höss and his wife Ingrid.
© Osman
District - After a year full of crises, problems and upheavals, 2024 could only get better - with this cautiously optimistic message, Franz Xaver Peteranderl appeared before the assembled representatives of many craft businesses in the district.
The President of the Chamber of Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria assumes that the economic crisis will have reached its lowest point in the course of this year.
Peteranderl called for reliability from politicians (“we need decisions that create trust”) and finally an effective approach to the “modern scourge of entrepreneurship” – sprawling bureaucracy.
He hopes that politicians have recognized the signs of the times and will take effective steps to reduce bureaucracy - unlike in the past, when such initiatives had rather poor results.
Simple processes
The demand for a reduction in bureaucracy ran like a common thread through all the greetings and speeches at this year's craftsmen's reception in the meeting room of the district office.
“Where processes are simplified, more fresh air can blow,” said Landsberg Mayor Doris Baumgartl with conviction.
“And where more decisions can be made, there will soon be a sense of optimism.”
District master craftsman Markus Wasserle criticized the “mountains of regulations and meter-high bureaucratic hurdles,” while progress in digitalization – which could speed up procedures and shorten waiting times – was moderate at best.
In this context, Wasserle praised the IT network that the district was aiming for and hoped that many communities would join.
Despite the difficult conditions in 2023, Chamber of Crafts President Peteranderl was able to report that the annual balance of the companies in Munich and Upper Bavaria is still impressive.
Together, the 79,300 craft businesses and their 310,200 employees achieved sales of over 51 billion euros.
The number of employees fell for the fourth year in a row (minus 0.8 percent).
In contrast, there was a “small increase in apprentices” of 1.6 percent.
According to Peteranderl, 81 percent of craft businesses still rate their situation as good or satisfactory.
Although incoming orders would decline, high inventories ensured that capacity utilization was still good.
The President of the Chamber of Crafts assessed the weakening inflation and the interest rates, which are already falling again, as positive.
Delivery bottlenecks and material shortages would no longer play such a major role this year.
In addition to reducing bureaucracy, the craft sector is calling for real equivalence between vocational and academic education to combat the shortage of skilled workers and welcomes the Skilled Immigration Act to bring qualified employees from third countries to Germany.
According to Peteranderl, only about one in four craft businesses currently have all positions filled.
District craftsman Wasserle gave the maxim “clatter and make” - the clatter, which is literally part of the craft, was a form of advertising in the Middle Ages, and making is in the blood of the craftsmen.
Wasserle demanded planning security from politicians.
“Stopping funding from now on is simply unsustainable.” The burden of taxes and social security contributions is also too high.
And finally, more flexible working hours are needed.
For craft businesses in particular, it is hardly possible to adhere to the maximum number of hours each week.
Excessively long days should remain the exception, says Wasserle, but as an employer in this case you shouldn't "have one foot in illegality".
Special honor
Many awards were on the agenda at the craftsmen's reception hosted by Dominic Wimmer.
In addition to honors for particularly successful qualifications and long-term service, as well as golden master craftsman certificates and awards for master craftsmen, there was a “special honor” in the program.
What was hidden behind it was the appointment of a visibly clueless and touched Ernst Höss as an honorary district master craftsman.
Wasserle praised the former district master craftsman and “dedicated his life to the craft and fought for the profession.”