Odd men in
THAT Europe's biggest building site is in a city with record unemployment among local construction workers is a fitting tribute to the operation of the German labour market. The construction industry, the country's largest employer, announced on June 9th that it expects 80,000 job losses in the coming six months, to add to the 400,000 builders already out of work. Meanwhile there are so many cranes above Berlin's Potsdamer Platz that one local thespian has even written a ballet for them to perform to music.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Odd men in”
From the June 14th 1997 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Could seaweed replace plastic packaging?
Companies are experimenting with new ways to reduce plastic waste
Has Sequoia Capital outgrown its business model?
Venture capital’s hardiest perennial gets back to its roots
On stupid rules and quick wins
Why every boss can benefit from asking employees what most infuriates them
TikTok wants Western consumers to shop like the Chinese
It still has some convincing to do
Will the trouble ever end for Volkswagen and its rivals?
From strikes to Trump tariffs, calamities abound
After Northvolt’s failure, who will make Europe’s EV batteries?
The continent looks ever more reliant on Asian producers