Germany will see its major industries like steel, chemicals and paper shut down in a matter of weeks if it’s left without gas, oil and coal from Russia, the country’s top industrial unions have said.
The heads of IG Metall, IGBCE and IG Bau unions held a joint press-conference in Berlin on Tuesday to warn about the potential fallout of the German government’s push to cut reliance of Russian energy in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Exploding energy prices, but above all a possible gas embargo, would hit energy-intensive industry – the mother of the industrial network – hard,” Michael Vassiliadis, president of Germany’s IGBCE chemical workers union, pointed out.
“The consequences would not only be reduced work hours and job losses, but also the rapid collapse of the industrial production chains in Europe – with worldwide consequences,” he added.