Finance & economics | Hard bargains

Germany’s workers are in the strongest position in 30 years

And they are demanding more pay

|BERLIN

A HIGHLY SKILLED workforce, harmonious labour relations and restrained wage growth: all have long underpinned Germany’s economic success. But, as the recovery from the ravages of covid-19 continues, the three pillars are looking wobbly. A shortage of skilled workers is becoming more acute. Pay is rising against the backdrop of higher inflation. And some disgruntled unions are even threatening to strike.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Hard bargains”

The energy shock

From the October 16th 2021 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Finance & economics

A person turns on a garden hose in an effort to save a neighboring home from catching fire during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, USA.

The Los Angeles fires will be extraordinarily expensive

They will also expose California’s faulty insurance market

The stars of the European Union flag falling down to the bottom of the flag.

Europe could be torn apart by new divisions

The continent is at its most vulnerable in decades


A bond flying away tied to a red balloon, in the spotlight.

How corporate bonds fell out of fashion

The market is at its hottest in years—and a shadow of its former self


An American purchase of Greenland could be the deal of the century

The economics of buying new territory

China’s markets take a fresh beating

Authorities have responded by bossing around investors

Can America’s economy cope with mass deportations?

Production slowdowns, more imports and pricier housing could follow