Albert Soutter is currently addressing the question of the sustainability of the German economy, particularly in relation to the structure of the workforce. The discussion centers on the work practices at his company, Kern and Son, located in Balingen, Württemberg, which specializes in manufacturing wagons and tracks. The company, founded by the Soutter family, is in its eighth generation.
Historically, the firm has operated on a 40-hour work week, a structure that has not been governed by the collective agreement for the metal industry. Albert Soutter, the director, has always viewed the current schedule as appropriate, but he feels the need to reassess this in the current economic climate. The proposal under consideration involves a potential reduction in working hours.
Soutter noted that while fewer hours of work would allow for more leisure time for employees, he stressed the critical connection between reduced hours and overall business stability. He stated that a reduction in hours would inherently require the securing of more contracts to maintain the necessary level of production. This discussion highlights the tension between modern labor proposals and the established operational history of long-standing industrial firms.
For Albert Soutter, the viability of the company’s continued work relies heavily on maintaining robust economic activity, making the balance between employee hours and market demand a central concern for the future of the enterprise.
Topics: #work #albert #soutter
