How The German Industry Is Damaging Itself

Bertelsmann Stiftung is pushing for a smaller state and and more economic "freedom" to fire people. I can understand their current support for a free trade agreement with the US, since content providers will profit the most; and the Bertelsmann Group is Germany biggest content provider. Their fight against against worker rights also makes sense since Bertelsmann is not dependent on good workers, they are only the middle man. Also, a minimum wage would mean that it would be harder for the middle man industry to exploit workers. But for inexplicable reasons, the German industry wants the government to go in the same direction. These are firms dependent on good engineers, proficient craftsmen, and actually have a very good track record working with unions.The metal and electronics industry employers' federation has their own lobbying institution - the Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft (INSM) - which aims at "reforming" Germany to become more like the US. In other words the INSM is trying to turn Germany into an industry free zone, like Britain; and sadly it is very much successful.