As part of his ‘mission skilled labour’, the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil made a stop at BLG in Hamburg on 16 July. At the BLG AutoTerminal Hamburg, he took the opportunity to visit the site and engage in intensive discussions with the Labour Director, management and employees as part of a ‘practical workshop’.
The Hamburg car terminal is located on the Kattwyk peninsula, directly on the River Elbe. On a total area of 324,000m², around 158,000 vehicles are handled, processed or transported here every year. The site is also home to a base of BLG Autotransporte GmbH & Co. KG. Accompanied by Ulrike Riedel, Member of the Board of Management and Labour Director of the BLG Group, Sven Bröker, Branch Manager of Autoterminal Hamburg, and the management and site management of BLG Autotransporte GmbH & Co. KG, the Federal Minister took the opportunity for a personal discussion with the employees. ‘Mission skilled labour serves to enable us to exchange ideas closely with the companies. I am very pleased to be a guest at BLG LOGISTICS today. It is very interesting for me to hear how BLG defines good work, what answers the company has found to the shortage of skilled labour and where we, i.e. politicians, need to set the course. I'm taking a lot of exciting topics and ideas with me,’ says Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil.
After the tour of the site, there was an intensive discussion about the various factors that make up ‘good work’: ‘Our company stands for reliability and dependability. We are bound by collective agreements and we attach great importance to co-determination and social partnership,’ explained Ulrike Riedel, Labour Director of the BLG Group. The average length of service of 11 years at BLG AutoTerminal Hamburg reflects the high level of satisfaction and loyalty within the company.
Bureaucracy as an obstacle: ways to attract skilled labour
The shortage of skilled labour, its consequences for the logistics industry and possible solutions were the main topics of discussion for the participants at the practical workshop. To counteract the shortage of skilled labour, BLG relies on the recruitment of foreign skilled workers, among other things. The company works closely with partners in the countries of origin, such as Morocco. The integration of refugees into the labour market also plays a major role for the company. Both are only possible if bureaucratic hurdles are overcome. For example, BLG LOGISTICS actively promotes the recognition of foreign professional qualifications and driving licences. These measures are essential in order to successfully integrate qualified workers from abroad into the company. ‘One particular obstacle is the lengthy visa procedures at German consulates, which significantly delay the process,’ explains Pawel Byglewski, Managing Director of BLG Automobile Logistics GmbH & Co. KG and Head of Transport, is responsible for all car transport services. ‘We appeal to the responsible authorities to shorten processing times and thus facilitate access to qualified specialists.’
Training, promotion and development
The promotion and targeted development of employees are central topics for BLG LOGISTICS at all locations and a key factor for ‘good work’, emphasised Labour Director Ulrike Riedel. ‘We support employees throughout their entire career with individualised offers - regardless of where they are in their career. We focus on comprehensive training, qualifications and further training, have a company health management system and promote inclusion and digitalisation.’
Training also plays a central role for the company. Last year, BLG LOGISTICS filled 96 new training positions and employed a total of 127 trainees. However, recruiting trainees at the Hamburg site is difficult due to the lack of public transport connections. ‘The nearest bus stop is six kilometres away. This makes it particularly difficult for younger colleagues to work here. We currently only have one trainee in their second year of training,’ says branch manager Sven Bröker. ‘A better connection between the port companies and public transport would be urgently needed in order to fill the apprenticeships with young talent.’
Initiative ‘Mission skilled labour. A dialogue about the future.’
The ‘Mission skilled labour’ initiative was launched by Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil to provide targeted support for securing and promoting skilled workers in Germany. Through discussions with citizens, employer representatives, trade unions, associations, companies and academia, innovative strategies are to be developed to combat the shortage of skilled labour. The initiative includes measures for further vocational training, improving working conditions and the targeted recruitment of skilled workers from Germany and abroad. The aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of the German economy and at the same time increase the attractiveness of the labour market for qualified specialists.
