The most important point of the strike of Leipzig was the demand for general work-permission for all refugees, indipendent of duration of their stay and independent of their status (toleration, unlimitted right of residence)
Because of this we want to describe the current situation concerning this demand:
The total refusal to allow refugee to work has been introduced by the former minister for employment Norbert Blüm in 1997. Before this decree, in some cases refugees were able to get a work permit, as longer no German or EU-citizen wanted this job. Now, for all thouse who immigrate after may 1997, this total refusal of work is in effect.
At this moment, some changes are planned, but they are connected with general strategy of the Federal Government: the immigration of specialists will be allowed while the guaranting of asylum will be limited.
Together with the introduction of the "Green-Card" the asylum laws shall become stricter. They are even considerations to limit immigration to some number. This means, that the more specialists come to Germany, the less refugees will be allowed to immigrate.
Connected with this, there are plans to change the industrial laws: when there are less refugees, the state can afford to let these people work.
There has been a long struggle for the annulment of Mr. Blüm's law and for re-introducing the old regulations. If this would happen (eventually already this year), the situation would be like before: there would be only very few work-permits, the priority treatment of Germans and EU-citizens would not be abolished. Beside this, it will very hard to find a job, especially in Leipzig.
Even so we are convinced that it is usefull to fight for annulment of prohibition. When in autumn the different parties introduce their hills in the Bundestag, we will report this.
In the end it has to be stated, that there is no equality of German workers and foreign workers (respektivly work-seeking people) and that this is not wanted. This does not only concern refugees, it is also valid for e.g.foreign students who are not allowed to work during semester-vocation and other discriminating regulations. It is astonishing that fascist parties still demand "Employment for Germans first" - their demand is already fulfilled.