A Republican party era that dawned with the coming to power of Ronald Reagan left in its wake attitudes that business leaders knew what was best for their employees as they did for American society. They refuse to respect rights of workers to organize for better wages and working conditions. Unfortunately for US business organizations, that attitude is not shared in Germany whose constitution respects the rights of workers to have input into wages and working conditions. Workers at the two largest distribution centers for Amazon in Germany went on strike when company officials refused to engage in negotiations with them. Amazon wages in Germany are most probably better than what is paid to their American employees. But, management can cut wages whenever it desires.
American business leaders in Europe do not grasp the absence of medieval minded Republicans having power in Europe. Walmart had limited success in Germany because it did not understand German attitudes toward worker rights. Few American companies in Germany even have a personnel department because they do not believe workers have any rights-other than accepting low pay and being treated like those without the right to a decent economic life.
German business is built on long term thinking, not this year’s bottom line. It respects the rights of workers just as it respects the rights of share holders.
