In search of a balance between labor demand and competitiveness, Germany is again considering introducing the four-day week, which has already been tried out in other European countries and is popular with some pioneering companies.

The issue is on the agenda of Europe’s largest economy at a time when a recession is looming, making employers cautious. Others see this crisis as an opportunity for radical change.

On Friday, Maximilian Hermann puts on his motorcycle helmet and goes on a “trip” to the Bavarian Alps, if he doesn’t leave for the weekend “on Thursday evening.”

The 29-year-old project manager plans to install heat pumps and air conditioning systems from KlimaShop!, a 30-person company based near Augsburg in Bavaria (South).

Like all his colleagues, he introduced a four-day week and 38 instead of 40 hours a week at the beginning of January.

The employees now work an hour and a half more over four days in order to have their Friday off with the same salary.

For his colleague Michael Pankoke, the change is synonymous with “great progress”: “You work much more intensively, everything you do is more precise,” the 58-year-old customer advisor told AFP.

Experiment

At the annual collective bargaining for the steel industry, which begins in mid-November, the powerful IG Metall is calling for the introduction of the four-day week, by reducing the weekly workload from 35 to 32 hours and equal pay.

Work organization consultancy Intraprenör will conduct the first major experiment in Germany in collaboration with 4 Day Week Global, which has already conducted similar studies in several developed countries, particularly the United Kingdom.

At the beginning of 2024, 50 companies of different sizes and industries will have to test the reduction of working hours with the same pay for six months with the aim of maintaining productivity. Intraprenör, which has “abolished” Fridays for its own employees since 2016, says it currently has 33 applications from interested companies.

It is becoming more and more common for employers to take this step.

Wolfgang Schmidt, founder of a mechanical engineering company near Hamburg (North), says he introduced the 38-hour week at the end of 2022 to “save gas and money” for his 30 employees who travel about 100 km. per day”.

In the same region, the city of Wedel decided to introduce a four-day week to attract “competent and motivated” brokers.

In addition to a better “work-life balance” and “higher productivity,” the creation of jobs would mean that Germany could end “one of the highest rates of part-time employment in Europe,” emphasizes labor manager Sophie Jänicke Hours in the management of IG Metall.

According to a study by the Hans Böckler Foundation, 81% of Germans who work full-time would like a four-day week.

“Unrealistic dream”

While in Belgium, since the end of 2022, employees who wish to do so have been able to request to work the same number of hours over four days instead of five, in Germany the law allows employers and employees the freedom to set the working hours, on average 39 hours per week, until to 48 hours.

But the enthusiasm of some is being dampened by many bosses and economists, including Holger Schäfer, who estimates that a reduction in working hours “in the order of 20%” would have “catastrophic economic consequences.”

While “limiting unproductive activities and condensing work” is still feasible in office work, in industry “all possibilities for increasing productivity or efficiency have already been exhausted,” emphasizes the expert from the IW Economic Institute in Cologne.

Given the deepening “labor shortage” that accompanies the retirement of baby boomers, a reduction in working hours “will inevitably lead to a reduction in the amount of goods and services produced,” he warns.

In order to counteract the shortage of qualified workers, the head of the IW, Michael Hüther, recommends an extension of working hours instead of this “unrealistic dream of four days a week”.

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Detectives painstakingly search Erin Patterson’s home after she was arrested over the poisonous mushroom meal that led to the deaths of three people.

Patterson was arrested at her home in Leongatha, eastern Victoria, at around 8am on Thursday. No charges were filed.

Heather Wilkinson, 66, her sister Gail Patterson and her husband Don Patterson, both 70, all died in August, just days after eating a beef wellington prepared by Ms. Patterson.

The Pattersons were the parents of Ms. Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon.

Ms Wilkinson’s husband, Baptist Church pastor Ian Wilkinson, 68, was the sole survivor but fell seriously ill and spent almost two months in hospital.

A specialist team of police investigators is currently searching Ms Patterson’s home, where the fatal family dinner took place on July 29.

Forensic experts were seen rummaging through a cluttered garage next to the house and combing the interior of their red MG ZS SUV in the property’s driveway.

Detectives have also brought in specially trained “technology sniffing dogs” who can detect USB memory sticks and SIM cards to help search the property.

READ MORE: Erin Patterson Arrested LIVE: Photos show cops swooping on key item at mushroom chef’s home

Police have arrested Erin Patterson, the woman at the center of the investigation into the toxic mushroom flour that led to the deaths of three people in Gippsland, eastern Victoria

Detectives have brought in specially trained “technology sniffer dogs” who can detect USB memory sticks and SIM cards to help search the property

Investigators were seen searching Erin Patterson’s car (pictured) during a search of her property on Thursday

On Thursday morning, police could also be seen rummaging through the overflowing contents of the garage next to the house

The technology sniffing dogs have been provided by the Australian Federal Police, who say they can find storage devices

The technology detection dogs have been provided by the Australian Federal Police, who say they can find storage devices such as USB sticks, hard drives, mobile phones, memory cards and SIM cards.

Considered the elite of all sniffer dogs, the dogs are able to sense the micron-thin coating that protects computer circuit boards.

Their noses are so sensitive that they can detect tiny SIM or memory cards hidden in walls or even fruit.

The dogs were seen exploring various locations around the house, with a sofa on a back patio of the house being closely inspected.

Ms. Patterson’s car was also thoroughly searched several times by investigators and sniffer dogs.

On Thursday morning, five cars, including Ms. Patterson’s, were parked in her driveway. Ms. Patterson’s empty trash cans remained uncollected outside her property.

Her arrest came after Pastor Wilkinson allegedly helped homicide detectives with their investigation following his release from the hospital on September 23rd.

Police believe the symptoms experienced by the four guests were consistent with the effects of eating death cap mushrooms.

“Today’s arrest is just the next step in a complex and thorough investigation by Homicide detectives, which is ongoing,” said Detective Inspector Dean Thomas.

“Once the search of the premises has been completed, the woman will be questioned by homicide detectives. “We will provide updates throughout the day.”

“Over the last three months, this investigation has been the subject of incredibly intense public scrutiny and curiosity.”

“I can’t think of any other investigation that has attracted so much public interest, not just here in Victoria but nationally and internationally.”

He added: “Remember that essentially three people lost their lives.”

“These are three people who by all accounts were well-loved in their communities and will be greatly missed by their loved ones.”

The dogs were seen exploring various locations around the house, with a sofa on a back patio of the house being closely inspected

A sign on the fence of Ms. Patterson’s home warns visitors against trespassing on the property

A team of police investigators is currently searching her home in Leongatha, where the fatal family dinner took place on July 29

Five cars, including Erin Patterson’s, were parked in her driveway Thursday morning

Ms Patterson became the focus of the police investigation after it was revealed she had cooked the meal. She has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

She said she took the last remaining plate, ate a portion and later gave the remains to the hospital’s toxicologist for examination.

After the tragedy, Ms. Patterson spoke of her love for the victims of the poisoning and especially her in-laws.

“Now I’m devastated to think that these mushrooms could have contributed to my loved ones’ illness,” she said.

“I really want to reiterate that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people I loved.”

Ms Patterson said she made the killer lunch with a mix of mushrooms from a major supermarket chain and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery store in Melbourne.

In her statement to police, which was released to the media, Ms. Patterson said she portioned the food onto plates and let her guests choose for themselves.

A food dehydrator was later dumped at the local landfill because she feared her estranged husband would blame her for his parents’ deaths and gain custody of their two children, she said.

Death caps contain deadly amatoxin that catastrophically attacks a person’s body, essentially “melting a person’s liver”, a medical expert told Chron Australia.

It’s so powerful that you don’t even have to eat part of the mushroom for it to be deadly.

Simply consuming the liquid in which the mushrooms were cooked may be enough to kill them.

On Thursday morning, Victoria Police confirmed they had made an arrest in the case.

Erin Patterson was arrested on Thursday morning and taken to Wonthaggi Police Station for questioning. It is understood no charges have been filed at this time

Heather Wilkinson (left) died after the fatal family dinner in Leongatha on July 29. Her husband Ian Wilkinson (right) was the only survivor

Erin Patterson’s estranged in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both died after the fatal family dinner

“Homicide detectives have arrested a woman this morning as part of their investigation into the deaths of three people following an incident in Leongatha earlier this year,” a statement said.

“On July 30, four people were admitted to hospital after falling ill following a meal at a private residence in Leongatha the previous day.

“Two women from Korumburra, aged 66 and 70, died in hospital on August 4. A third person, a 70-year-old man from Korumburra, died in hospital on August 5.”

“A 69-year-old man from Korumburra was discharged from hospital on September 23.”

“A 49-year-old woman from Leongatha was arrested at her home address shortly after 8am on November 2nd.

“A search warrant was executed at the Gibson Street address with the assistance of AFP’s technology sleuths.”

“The woman is now being questioned by police and investigations are ongoing.”

“All of these things are happening at the same time,” Mr. Gill said. “We are in one of the most fragile times for the global economy.”

Mr. Gill’s assessment mirrors that of other analysts. Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, said last month that “this may be the most dangerous time the world has seen in decades” and described the conflict in Gaza as “the biggest and most important thing for the Western world.”

Recent economic woes have been exacerbated by worsening geopolitical conflicts across continents. Tensions between the United States and China over technology transfers and security only complicate efforts to cooperate on other issues such as climate change, debt relief or violent regional conflicts.

The prevailing political concerns also mean that traditional monetary and fiscal policy tools, such as adjusting interest rates or government spending, may be less effective.

The brutal fighting between Israel and Hamas has already cost the lives of thousands of civilians and caused deep suffering on both sides. But if the conflict remains contained, the impact on the global economy is likely to be limited, most analysts agree.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome H. Powell said Wednesday that “at this point it is not clear whether the conflict in the Middle East is on track to have a significant economic impact on the United States,” but added : “That’s not the case.” That doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly important.”

Middle Eastern oil producers no longer dominate the market as they did in the 1970s, when Arab nations sharply cut production and imposed an embargo on the United States and some other countries after a coalition led by Egypt and Syria attacked Israel .

Currently, the United States is the world’s largest oil producer, and alternative and renewable energy sources make up a slightly larger portion of the world’s energy mix.

“It’s a highly volatile, uncertain and frightening situation,” said Jason Bordoff, director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. But there is “the understanding among most parties, the United States, Europe, Iran and other Gulf states,” he continued, referring to the Persian Gulf, “that it is in no one’s interest for this conflict to grow significantly expands beyond Israel and Gaza.”

However, Mr Bordoff added that missteps, poor communication and misunderstandings could, however, push countries to escalate even if they did not want to.

And a significant and sustained decline in global oil supply — for whatever reason — could simultaneously slow growth and fuel inflation, a cursed combination known as stagflation.

George Santos, Republican-elect from New York state in Washington, November 1, 2023. JULIA NIKHINSON / Portal

Republican-elect George Santos, whose lies have made headlines in the American political and media world since his election in late 2022, will at least temporarily retain his seat in the US House of Representatives after Wednesday’s failure, November 1, a vote on it aimed to exclude it.

The 35-year-old elected official is an inveterate liar who has been federally indicted for defrauding his donors and is accused of money laundering and electronic fraud. He is also accused of receiving unemployment benefits during the pandemic even though he was not entitled to them.

But the exclusion request was rejected in the plenary session on Wednesday evening with 179 yes votes and 213 no votes.

Portrait: Article reserved for our subscribers United States: the political fiction of George Santos, indefatigable congressional mythomaniac

With Republicans holding a narrow four-seat majority in the 435-seat House of Representatives, the ouster of Mr. Santos – a New York state lawmaker – would have made passing legislation even more difficult for them and new Speaker Mike Johnson. However, many elected officials, including Mr. Santos’ Republican colleagues, have distanced themselves from the latter.

“We must expel this crook from the people’s house.”

The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into the elected official in February but has not yet released its conclusions. He said Tuesday he would announce his “next course of action” in the case by Nov. 17.

Wanting a quicker result, New York Republican-elect Anthony D’Esposito recently introduced a bill that would allow the expulsion of George Santos if approved by a two-thirds majority of lawmakers present. “We must expel this crook from the people’s house,” Mr. D’Esposito said in a message posted on X, the former Twitter.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers George Santos, the elected Republican who lied about his career, his family, his religion, his studies and his wealth

The House of Representatives has already expelled one of its representatives in the past. The most recent example is Ohio Democrat James Traficant, who was ousted in 2002 on 10 charges, including corruption.

The world with AFP