Carsten Burckhardt, the newly appointed federal deputy chairman of the German trade union IG BAU, has warned of significant health risks to workers in the construction, forestry, and agricultural sectors due to climate change. Burckhardt cited increased risks of skin cancer and dehydration from prolonged heat waves as key concerns, emphasizing the need for improved worker protection measures.
Speaking on broader economic issues, Burckhardt refuted claims of a lack of work ethic among German employees. He argued against further increasing the burden on workers and instead advocated for a broader financial base for the healthcare system. Specifically, he called for the introduction of a mandatory citizen’s insurance scheme, funded by contributions from all employees.
The discussion too touched upon the role of self-governance within the German healthcare system. Whereas Dietmar Dittke championed strengthening self-governance, Ute Huster criticized it as overly regulated and lacking in reform capacity, pointing to challenges encountered during recent hospital reforms. Dittke countered, asserting that self-governance contributes significantly to democratic processes, but acknowledged the need for a supportive political framework.
Jürgen Hohnl, CEO of IKK, a German health insurance company, summarized the debate by highlighting the ongoing need to balance solidarity and individual responsibility. He referenced a recent survey by the GKV Spitzenverband, the umbrella organization of German health insurance funds, which indicated that 85 percent of Germans support the current solidarity-based system. Hohnl emphasized that promoting individual responsibility should extend beyond simply imposing or increasing co-payments, and should instead reward health-conscious behavior, while cautioning against perceived overreach or paternalism.
Hohnl stated that efficiently utilizing the resources of the healthcare system is a shared responsibility of the state, self-governing bodies, and individuals. The IG BAU elected Burckhardt to the position of federal deputy chairman in early July 2025, according to Neue Landschaft. He had previously focused on sector and tariff policy within the construction, gardening, and landscaping industries, and served as the IG BAU’s lead negotiator for the modern GaLaBau collective bargaining agreement in June 2025. Burckhardt, a trained electrician, began his career with IG BAU in 1997 as a youth education representative for the state of Hesse.
The IG BAU’s federal executive board will be re-elected in the autumn of next year. The union’s leadership consists of Christian Beck, Nicole Simons, Robert Feiger, Ulrike Laux, and Carsten Burckhardt, as reported by IG BAU. The 2025 BAU trade fair in Munich featured forums and special events where exhibitors presented solutions and innovations, but details for the 2027 event are yet to be published, according to BAU München.
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