More money for employees, retirees and Hartz IV recipients: The new government has only been in office for a few hours, but Frank Werneke (54), head of the powerful Verdi union, puts the lights on in the BILD interview!
BILD: Mr. Werneke, inflation is rising, do you need an extra round for employees?
Frank Werneke: “No question about it: the price increase is a burden on employees. This year we are assuming an inflation rate of over three percent, next year it will still be around 2.5 percent. That is why it is our aim to even out inflation in all collective bargaining rounds, which, however, regularly meets with opposition from employers. In addition to the employees, other population groups must also be protected from the wave of inflation … “
Who are you thinking of
Werneke: “There is also an urgent need for action with the many, many millions of recipients of Hartz IV or basic security in old age. For them, too, the rise in prices is a huge problem. It was wrong that no sign was set and increased in the Corona crisis – instead there was only a surcharge of three euros more. That’s a bad joke – it would be correct to raise the standard rate by 150 euros. ”
Energy prices in particular have exploded, what should the traffic light do?
Werneke: “It is absolutely overdue for an“ energy money ”to be introduced for all citizens. That means: All income from CO2 pricing must be returned to the citizens. That should be done in an equal amount for all regardless of whether they pay taxes or not. The question of how climate policy should be designed in a socially acceptable manner has unfortunately not yet been answered by the traffic light. “
Keyword pensions: The traffic light wants to reintroduce the catch-up factor in 2022. The consequence would be lower pension premiums. What do you think?
Werneke: “That is a wrong decision. Because this means that the pensions, which in any case do not cover life from front to back, will be even smaller. We will not simply accept this decision made by the traffic light, but rather enter into the political debate. By the way, we are not alone in this. “
Let’s get to the pandemic. Last week it was decided that individual occupational groups should be vaccinated, a right decision?
Werneke: “We have a controversial discussion about compulsory vaccination and I respect that there are different opinions on this. This also applies to the debate about compulsory vaccination for individual professional groups, such as in the health sector, where the vaccination quota is already particularly high. So the effect would be small. In order to fight the pandemic effectively, vaccinations should become compulsory for everyone. “
How do you feel about the planned expansion of the 2G rules?
Werneke: “From my point of view, this is correct. Hopefully this will also help people who have not yet had the vaccine decide to do so. It is a necessary step towards solidarity. An expansion as far as possible means that as long as the legislature does not decide on a general vaccination requirement, supermarkets and pharmacies, for example, must remain exempt. “
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