In the fight against the coronavirus, Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder wants to push employers in the Free State to increase home office opportunities for employees, even with concrete targets. The CSU politician announced that he would discuss this at a “home office summit” with business and trade unions this Wednesday.
First of all, one has to consider how the potential for home office that exists can be better exploited – so far this is not enough. “This needs to be fundamentally improved,” Söder demanded. If that does not work, perhaps one would have to think about “other measures”. “At the moment, it’s all about joining forces again.”
“We also have to talk about targets that everyone has to meet,” Söder said. “We urgently need targets for home office.” You can’t just lump everything together. “Not every industry is the same, not every activity is the same. But readiness in general needs to be significantly increased and improved,” the prime minister said.
More home office needed in case of mutation
“My impression is that we almost fell behind a little bit,” Söder said. At the beginning of the pandemic it was better than at the present stage. “And that’s why you can’t just let it run, but you have to discuss a direction on the issue and decide and set it together.”
Söder warned strongly of the consequences if the mutant virus, which is particularly rampant in the UK, spreads here as well. “One thing must be clear to us: the current lockdown is closed under the conditions that the mutated virus is not stronger in our own country.” He said he was very concerned about developments in England and Ireland and hoped “that we will be spared.” “But you have to face reality: the probability is not that high,” he added. Therefore, it may be that more home office is needed in order to remain economically active and at the same time cautious and prudent in the coming months.
The Greens, in particular, had recently called for more home office and a significant restriction on job contacts. On Friday, Ludwig Hartmann, head of the parliamentary group, had already called for a “home office summit” and a “pact for homework”.
