Volunteer appreciation in Saxony on the rise with educational leave petition
In an effort to boost volunteer engagement and acknowledge their valuable contributions, trade unions in Saxony, led by organizations like the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), are pushing for the implementation of a law granting five days of paid educational leave per year. This initiative aims to provide volunteers with much-needed time off for further training and qualifications, essential elements in their volunteer work.
So far, the campaign has garnered a remarkable 10,000 signatures, with an additional 60,000 petition forms still circulating. The movement's driving force, Christian Dahms, Deputy Representative of the petition and Secretary General of the Saxony State Sports Association, announced this progress at a gathering in Dresden last Monday (source: stern.de).
Daniela Kolbe, Vice President of the DGB in Saxony, commented that it's disheartening to witness individuals who dedicate their precious free time to the common good struggling to secure time for additional training. The lack of support from the state government, which currently prevents volunteers from seeking paid educational leave, calls for immediate change (source: stern.de).
The collection of signed petitions commenced at the end of August. If the target of 40,000 signatures is reached, the petition can be forwarded to the President of the State Parliament, who will then review its admissibility. The ensuing parliamentary debate and voting process could potentially result in the implementation of this long-overdue policy change (source: stern.de).
However, should the Members of the Saxon Parliament reject the proposal, petitioners can choose to challenge the decision by launching a referendum. To initiate this, at least 450,000 signatures must be collected within a six-month timeframe (source: stern.de). A coalition of trade unions, religious bodies, independent and social organizations, and political parties, united under more than 60 partnerships, is spearheading this initiative to promote the referendum (source: stern.de).
For more comprehensive information on this educational leave petition and political discussions surrounding it, consider contacting local authorities, including the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports in Saxony, or participating trade unions such as DGB. Other valuable resources include public records, newspapers, online sources, and petitions platforms (source: stern.de).
