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This week: Customer service woes in Italy -- German construction sector still weak-- Where are the skilled workers in Germany? -- French youth unemployment -- Snooping on employees in the workplace
While the economic downturn has been felt across all sectors of the economy, the cost cutting in the customer service sector in Italy has been particularly severe. The effects have been felt mostly in smaller stores and markets while high end stores have managed to escape the consequences.
Despite encouraging numbers about the German economy, the construction sector still remains anemic. While jobs have been created due to government stimulus programs, these programs are slated to be curtailed by the end of the year.
As Germany's population ages, more and more jobs are going un-filled and the German economy will ultimately pay the price for this problem. The answer is to allow foreign workers to fill these jobs but there is considerable debate on this issue in parliament.
Unemployment seemed to be under control in France for a number of years, but now it is rising again. And while unemplyment used to be spread evenly among the population, the hardest hit segment of the French population are the young people.
Some German comapnies were recently caught in scandals for using video cameras to spy on employees. Now some companies are using information gathered on personal networking sites to learn more about job applicants and the government has to come up with a solution.
