German and Austrian employers lobby to open market up to Polish workers

German and Austrian employers are seeking to grant Polish workers access to European Union (EU) labor markets from the day Poland joins the EU. This measure would help counteract the expected dramatic decrease in the number of domestic employees in the coming years. For example, the number of German employees is forecast to drop from 41 million in 2000 to less than 30 million in 2040. According to Austrian diplomats, if the psychological fears of trade unions and some social groups are overcome, the governments of the two countries could fulfill the demands of the business community. (Rzeczpospolita, page B1) T.J.