FRG Guest Workers Flashcards
(25 cards)
Why did the FRG need guest workers after WW2?
- WORKER SHORTAGE Due to mass soldier + minority deaths, a lack of new life + POWs abroad
- 1950s + 60s ECONOMIC MIRACLE created a need for more workers.
-1955: more or less FULL EMPLOYMENT. Gov wants to recruit more from abroad.
Who was a guest worker + what were their contracts like?
- INITIALLY MEN (20-40) trying to support wife + kids (bringing enough back home for comfortable living)
- Mainly Turkish. Spanish, Italian, Moroccan. Surrounding areas.
- 1-YR CONTRACTS (can’t leave during that time).
- HEAVY MANUAL LABOUR: jobs Germans were happy to leave (mining)
What nature of work did female guest workers take up + when did they start entering West G?
- Recruited at the request of ELECTRONICS + HOSPITALITY
- women favoured: could be paid less than men (1/3 less by ‘89)
- 1960
- 43k initially, 700k by 1973
What was the guest worker application process like?
*FEDERAL OFFICE FOR LABOUR RECRUITMENT: runs offices in countries FRG has labour recruitment treaties with
*Person applies, has a fitness to work physical exam, signs a time-limited contract for x job.
*Employer provides basic accomms (dorm near factory + outside of town)
How did the guest worker makeup change in 1961?
- The BERLIN WALL meant that the young, highly-qualified East Germans could no longer migrate for better prospects.
- DDR’s attempt to stop the ‘BRAIN DRAIN’
What was life like for ‘illegal’ guest workers?
- Increasing number arriving without a permit /job contract
*Take WORST POSSIBLE JOBS, LOW WAGES, NO ACCOMMODATION
What was the initial union reaction to guest workers?
- 1950s: unions fear new guest workers would
- FORCE DOWN WAGES
- UNDERCUT EXISTING WORKERS by accepting LESS FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS
How did Adenauer solve this problem?
- Guaranteed equal pay for both West Germans + guests (hiring preference for cheap labour)
What issues did guest workers have surrounding assimilation + integration?
*UNIONS less helpful on LONG-TERM stays (no desire to make them citizens)
- German ATTITUDE conveyed by guest label; TEMPORARY.
- SUPPORT OPTIONS LIMITED due to RELIGION
- Muslims can’t access Christian church orgs helping with language, community + schooling.
What Christian orgs would help Christian guest workers?
- Caritas (Catholic)
*Diakonisches Werk (Protestant)
What problems did guest workers face during the 1966-67 economic recession?
*HOSTILITY FROM RIGHT-WING NATIONALISTS
-Especially for non-German-speaking
- Exacerbated by guests organising/demonstrating for better living + working conditions.
*SOME LANDLORDS REFUSE GUEST WORKER TENANTS
-Most likely to live in poor areas w/ other guest workers (low integration)
What was the FRG gov’s attitude towards guest workers?
*KEEN for guests to EXTEND STAY (^ stability for guests + employers)
*Labour Minister: guests = “foundation of FRG’s success.”
*Measures to help with
- LANGUAGE LEARNING
-CHILD BENEFITS
-WELFARE
How did the 1966-67 economic recession impact guest workers overall?
- VITAL TO FRG’s GROWTH + CRISIS MANAGEMENT
- Quickly over, guests back in demand.
What were the economic challenges of the 70s + 80s?
*1973 + 1978 ARAB OIL CRISES
*RISING UNEMPLOYMENT
- Increased pressure for guests to leave, less renewed contracts
-1973: gov STOP NEW GUEST hiring
How were guest workers impacted by the Arab Oil crises and rising unemployment?
- Numbers fall 2.6mill - 2mill
*MASS LAY-OFFS + SEVERANCE PACKAGES doled out + accepted
- Messes with point system to fire workers.
- Thus, many don’t actually leave!
What policies + measures did the FRG gov bring in to protect guest workers?
- 1975: guest worker kids given same benefits as German ones
- Not citizens, but had guarantees in their contracts.
*1978: 1st Federal Commissioner for Foreigner’s Affairs (Schmidt gov)
What did the 1st Commissioner for Foreigner’s Affairs do?
- Worked for the RIGHTS + INTEGRATION of foreign workers
- Made a CLEAR set of rules for applying for UNRESTRICTED RESIDENCE (not citizenship)
What was 1 of the most serious problems for the FRG regarding guest workers + why?
- Educating guest workers’ children
- Basic Law demands “DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION “ (equal for all.)
What did the FRG government do on a regional level to help guest workers’ kids get an education?
- Tried to persuade LÄNDER to provide MIXED CULTURE classes
*Attempted to implement TEXTBOOKS in both MOTHER TONGUE + German
Which demographic of guest workers’ children faced significant hurdles to their education?
- MUSLIMS
- 60% of guest kids (180k by 1983)
Why’d Muslim guest workers’ children face difficulties with their education?
- Started school at 6 (NO PRESCHOOL EDUCATION)
*NO LANGUAGE SUPPORT
- Mostly set up by CHRISTIAN CHURCH SCHOOLS (mainly Catholics)
How did ethnic groups respond to the hurdles in their children’s educations?
- Set up own NATIONAL SCHOOLS
- Kids weren’t learning in state ones.
- Koran schools for Muslim children, which attracted notable hostility.
What was an Ethnic Association?
*An organisation of guest workers from the SAME ORIGIN COUNTRY
- ADVOCACY = WORKPLACE rights, living conditions
- COMMUNITY aid = schooling, opportunities, housing help
How did FRG citizens react to Ethnic Associations ?
DIVIDED:
* Help newcomers SETTLE in, learn LANGUAGE + understand CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
- SLOW/STOP INTEGRATION
(Both happened; depended on attitude of association)
