Germany's Jobless May Top Four Million

German Times ^ | December 3 2002 | AP

[knighthawk]

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's finance minister said Tuesday he expects the number of people out of work in Europe's biggest economy to climb over the politically sensitive 4 million mark this winter.

Hans Eichel, addressing parliament a day ahead of the release of November unemployment figures, defended the center-left government's economic record as he told parliament that ``this winter, the jobless figure will again exceed 4 million, and I fear clearly so.''

In October, 3.93 million Germans were out of work — a jobless rate of 9.4 percent, down from 9.5 percent in September.

Last February, the jobless figure reached 4.29 million, and it again edged over 4 million in the summer at the height of campaigning for September elections, which Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder narrowly won.

Eichel said the government was committed to ``deep reforms'' as it moves to boost the economy and shore up public finances. Still, the opposition-dominated upper house of parliament last week stalled a government plan aimed at tackling unemployment, complaining that it would do too little to reform the country's labor market.

The plan centers on turning job-placement offices into fast-moving temporary staffing agencies, while putting more pressure on people to fill available positions and reducing red tape for the self-employed.

[knighthawk]

Europe-list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[Voltage]

Solution..make it unlawful for companies to lay off employees.

Oh! You say they already did that...never mind!

[Hugin]

Shadenfreude alert!

Socialist ingrates deserve it.

[KevinDavis]

Where is Willie ???

[ken5050]

Perhaps once again Germany needs "lebensraum" (sp?).....maybe we could suggest reviving the Afrika Corps...they could start in Libya....take Cairo in a week..then head up through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, into Iraq....we'd give em the oil rights.....in return for a long term contract to supply us at, say, $9/barrel...man, that would jump start the German economy...

[Hugin]

No problem though, they will be summarliy replaced by the guestworkers they import who still believe in G-d and still have a will to live and procreate.

Except that those guest workers spell God "Allah".

[knighthawk]

FYI

[GaryMontana]

Unemployment in Germany is going to get WORSE!

Once wein the USA recognize that we don't need a Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, or Volkswagen. Once we know we don't need a Braun shaver, German wine or anything else made in Germany, they will understand that they should not piss us off.

It is time for America to stop buying items from nations that HATE us: Germany, France, the arab world, Most of Scandinavia etc and buy things labeled made in the USA!

[ken5050]

I concur.....and BTW, can we please include anything made by Daimler?Chrysler on your list....

[AdamSelene235]

Europe's problems are primarily spiritual IMHO. Having thrown off their old robust Christianity in favor of paganism, and nursed at the teat of the welfare state from birth, they have simply lost their nerve and their will to live vibrant energetic lives. No problem though, they will be summarliy replaced by the guestworkers they import who still believe in G-d and still have a will to live and procreate.

Given that you can't swing a dead cat in Mexico or Central America without hitting 3 churches, how come they are economic basket cases?

[GaryMontana]

I agree

[DB]

Corruption.