Press Release No. 04/2013 IG Metall: Employers Block Anti-Stress Summit – Urban Calls for a Regulatory Ordinance on ...

Frankfurt am Main – IG Metall has reacted with bewilderment and frustration to the surprising failure of a joint declaration by the federal government, employers, and unions on combating workplace stress. In IG Metall’s view, employers deliberately scuttled the joint declaration by proposing massive changes to the draft that had already been finalized.

“A broad anti-stress coalition has fallen through due to the employers’ refusal,” said Hans-Jürgen Urban, executive board member of IG Metall, on Tuesday in Frankfurt. “Apparently, the hardliners on the employers’ side prevailed at the last minute. Burnout and work-related stress are affecting more and more people, not least due to the rise in precarious employment and the blurring of boundaries in the workplace. In Germany, it seems that employers are the only ones who have not yet grasped this.”

IG Metall sees this as a major missed opportunity to finally give the issue the attention it deserves and address it appropriately. Urban criticized the ignorance of some, saying it comes at the expense of an increasing number of people who suffer from the consequences of stress and burnout. The employers’ obstruction clearly demonstrates that only an anti-stress regulation with binding provisions—as IG Metall has long been calling for—can protect employees from psychological stress in the workplace.

“If Minister von der Leyen remains inactive, this could significantly undermine her credibility in the fight against burnout. She must not give in to employers’ resistance,” said Urban. “The problem is far too big and employers’ ignorance too widespread to make progress without legally binding regulations. Companies and employees need clear rules for tolerable working conditions and, therefore, a clear and effective anti-stress regulation. Now it’s the minister’s turn to act.”