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JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)

46. I did an in-depth study of free speech rights and of employee's rights of representation

Fri Dec 23, 2011, 03:57 PM

Dec 2011

in Germany some years ago for a course I was taking.

And we think we are free? Ha!

At least at that time, based on the case law and statutes I read, a German employee could not be fired for statements that his boss did not like about politics (as long as they were not pro-NAZI or extreme). One case involved a young apprentice who had publicly opposed nuclear energy. I believe he had been fired, not sure about that. The court said that his employer could not fire him for his exercise of his free speech right. (It has been a long time, so I could not swear that I have every fact right. But you get the import.)

That is because, in Germany, the obligation to respect free speech rights and certain other rights applied to everyone, not just the government.

Wish that our laws were more like those of Germany. They are way ahead of us on that.

And the laws that the OP refers to are the outgrowth of the same underlying values as German laws on free speech.

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Germany Explodes Republican Myth [View all] kpete Dec 2011 OP

Very good read. Thanks for posting. nt stillwaiting Dec 2011 #1

+1 and have shared elsewhere. freshwest Dec 2011 #33

How much of these automakers' financial profitability comes from bringing jobs to the US The Genealogist Dec 2011 #2

Am I misunderstanding this factoid? LiberalAndProud Dec 2011 #19

I was talking about their profits The Genealogist Dec 2011 #37

So you suspect that German workers are doing well on the backs of U.S. autoworkers. LiberalAndProud Dec 2011 #39

Not just the US DissedByBush Dec 2011 #42

k&r for labor and for the truth. n/t Laelth Dec 2011 #3

+ underpants Dec 2011 #4

Except that in 2010 US produced nearly 7.8 million automobiles, not 2.7 million Fool Count Dec 2011 #5

You are correct dems_rightnow Dec 2011 #7

your OCIA source says 2.7 million cars, same as the OP. provis99 Dec 2011 #9

Perhaps it's cars vs commercial vehicles. progressoid Dec 2011 #10

that wikipedia article doesn't cite any sources. provis99 Dec 2011 #8

It wasn't wrong, but misread. n/t Fearless Dec 2011 #11

"cars" not "automobiles"....? kristopher Dec 2011 #24

This nationmaster site is a big pile of crap. Fool Count Dec 2011 #27

Figures from the GERMAN Auto Manufacturers Association econoclast Dec 2011 #40

Ouch--that is an enormous discrepancy. nt MADem Dec 2011 #44

In the US top management likes a hierarchy Turbineguy Dec 2011 #6

Damn what I would do for $67/hour Fearless Dec 2011 #12

The $67/hr usrname Dec 2011 #43

Cost of living over there is no pic-a-nic, even with the health coverage. MADem Dec 2011 #45

Pizza Hut smells like a tourist trap... Fearless Dec 2011 #47

No more so than McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken or MADem Dec 2011 #48

Well... Fearless Dec 2011 #49

I can understand. MADem Dec 2011 #50

K&R Love this!!!! stevenleser Dec 2011 #13

They have an actual industrial policy. A better model. I nail rabid cons I know with this. Populist_Prole Dec 2011 #14

As are the socialist countries of Scandinavia Lydia Leftcoast Dec 2011 #15

We had a choice int he past 20 years - compete w/ Europe or China/India elehhhhna Dec 2011 #29

Recommended bigtime! Bozita Dec 2011 #16

K. & R. Rochester Dec 2011 #17

govt health coverage. pansypoo53219 Dec 2011 #18

they also have apprenticeships-that PAY MONEY even, we should be more like Germany & Canada StarsInHerHair Dec 2011 #20

We have apprenticeships that pay you while you learn - but hard work isn't held in high regard Edweird Dec 2011 #23

I was just reading a post on a technical forum about this.. Fumesucker Dec 2011 #21

This, perhaps, deserves it's own post. AllyCat Dec 2011 #31

K&R Lunabelle Dec 2011 #22

"Germany ... an economic model with more bottom-up worker control than that of any other country..." pampango Dec 2011 #25

By coincidence, I was just reading Mitt Romney's "thoughts" on this subject Jim Lane Dec 2011 #26

k&r Starry Messenger Dec 2011 #28

This is fascinating. Bookmarked for reference later when talking to wing nuts AllyCat Dec 2011 #30

K & R freshwest Dec 2011 #32

Approximately 5% unemployment rate even in the downturn hootinholler Dec 2011 #34

K&R please read abelenkpe Dec 2011 #35

But, we only pay 20-30% on less and they pay 50% in taxes on it all. Festivito Dec 2011 #36

K&R (n/t) a2liberal Dec 2011 #38

They can afford to pay people better in Germany because their CEO's and other 1% don't take as much. limpyhobbler Dec 2011 #41

I did an in-depth study of free speech rights and of employee's rights of representation JDPriestly Dec 2011 #46

du rec. nt xchrom Dec 2011 #51

K&R krispos42 Dec 2011 #52