Last modified: 2006-09-23 by jarig bakker
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Some comments on the system of trade unions in Germany:
The most important trade unions are associated in the DGB (Deutscher
Gewerkschaftsbund = German Federation of Trade Unions), which has currently
about 7,7 Million members. The DGB is a mainly left-wing association, although
membership as well as leadership contains many people of different political
affiliation (for instance also from the "left wings" of the CDU and CSU
parties; prominent example is the former CDU Minister for Labour, Norbert
Blüm).
Currently the following single trade unions belong to the DGB (membership
in brackets):
- ver.di (Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft
= United Services Union) (2,74 Million);
- IG Metall (Industriegewerkschaft Metall
= Industrial Union Metal) (2,644 Million);
- IG BCE (Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau,
Chemie, Energie = Industrial Union Mining, Chemistry, Energy) (834000);
- IG BAU (Industriegewerkschaft Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt = Industrial
Union Building-Agriculture-Environment) (490000);
- TRANSNET GdED (TRANSNET Gewerkschaft der Eisenbahner Deutschlands
= Union of the German Railway Workers) (297000);
- GEW (Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft = Union Education
and Science) (265000);
- Gewerkschaft NGG (Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten
= Union Food-Consumption-Restaurants) (245000);
- GdP (Gewerkschaft der Polizei = Union of the Police) (185000).
In recent years there have been several mergers of trade unions in the
DGB, the last and most important (in 2001) being the merger of five unions
(including the DAG = Deutsche Angestellten-Gewerkschaft = German
Employees' Union, formerly not DGB member) into ver.di.
Outside the DGB there are also several trade unions of minor size and
(mostly) minor importance:
Several Christian unions are associated in the CGB (Christlicher
Gewerkschaftsbund = Christian Federation of Trade Unions).
The civil servants (Beamte) are organised in the Beamtenbund
(Civil Servants' Association), that also includes the DPolG (Deutsche
Polizeigewerkschaft = German Police Union), a competitor of the GdP
mentioned above, and several affiliated organisations.
Finally there are many smaller unions; however, I do not have a whole
picture of all these unions. I want to mention only two: the GDL (Gewerkschaft
Deutscher Lokomotivführer = Union of German Engine-Drivers), which
is very active right now; and the FAU (Freie
ArbeiterInnen Union = Free Workers' Union), an anarcho-syndicalist
trade union (flag reported by me 11 May 2002).
At least all the DGB trade unions have their own flags, mainly logo-on-bedsheet
with inscriptions, though. Furthermore there are probably a lot of older
banners, heavily embroidered; several of them can be seen during the 1
May demonstrations. I have already reported on the flags of the IG
Metall (I will give some additional info, though); ver.di
(I will give some additional info); three of the former unions merged into
ver.di (ÖTV, HBV,
IG Medien); FAU.
Marcus E.V. Schmöger, 4 May 2003