The President of the Association of German Mechanical and Plant Engineers, Karl Haeusgen, pleads for a return to the 40-hour week and for retirement at the age of 68. "The labor shortage is becoming more dramatic from year to year," Haeusgen told the Augsburger Allgemeine. "We can't avoid extending working hours and making them more flexible."

Today, machine and plant manufacturers are already unable to fill 14,000 jobs. The 40-hour week must become the rule again in the metal and electrical industry and the 35-hour week the exception. "The issue will eventually reach the trade unions. The pain just has to be big enough," said the VDMA President: "The 40-hour week will come."

"Gretas of our time should best become mechanical engineers"

In addition, longer working lives are necessary. "I think retirement at 68 is a viable option," said the mechanical engineering president. At the very least, however, employees should be able to work until the age of 68 if they want to. However, anyone who does a job that is harmful to their health should be able to retire earlier.

The labour force must be better exploited. The proportion of women in the engineering professions has increased, "but eleven percent is still a pitiful number," said Haeusgen. Climate protection requires technology and machines, wind turbines, for example. "So the Gretas of our time should ideally become mechanical engineers."

Mechanical and plant engineering is one of Germany's most important branches of industry. The industry employs 1.2 million people, exported machinery worth 192 billion euros last year and generated 244 billion euros.