Covid saw 90,000 short-time workers in German chemicals industry

Wiesbaden, Germany – German chemicals industry saw nearly 90,000 employees put on short-time scheme as Covid-19 peaked in the country in early May.

According to the German Federation of Chemical Employers Association (BAVC), the figure represented an average loss of 62% work for the employees concerned.

The results of a BAVC survey conducted among 1,900 member companies, with 580,000 employees in May, also showed that 40% of respondents continued short-time work to secure employment. 

Some 90% of the respondents, particularly those supplying to the automotive sector, cited lack of demand for the reduced hours.  

“We have to be prepared that the real economic crisis is still ahead of us. The global drop in demand as a result of the pandemic will hit us hard in the coming months,” said BAVC president Kai Beckmann.

The good news, Beckmann added, is that over 80% of employees continued to do their job as usual – albeit under difficult conditions. 

“In this way, our industry has been able to largely maintain production and make an important contribution to overcoming the crisis," he added.