Trade unions are associations that represent the interests of employees. They are organized by sector and negotiate collective agreements with representatives of employers’ associations. In the event of a collective bargaining dispute, they may also call for strike action following a ballot of their members. Any employee can become a member of a trade union. In Germany, there are eight trade unions with around 5.6 million members, which have joined together in the umbrella organization Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB): IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt (IG BAU), IG Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IG BCE), Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsgewerkschaft (EVG), Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW), IG Metall, Gewerkschaft… Read More
More than just strikes: what trade unions do
