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 Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG), Gewerkschaft der Polizei (GdP), Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di). There are also so-called sectoral unions, such as air traffic controllers and doctors. The GdL, the German train drivers’ union, which has recently been responsible for many rail strikes, has also opened up to other professions. It is not organized in the DGB, but in the Deutscher Beamtenbund.
The right to form trade unions is guaranteed in Article 9 of the Basic Law. They are not affiliated with any other organizations: “A trade union is financially, personally and organizationally independent of third parties—i.e. the state, political parties, churches—and of its counterpart in the workplace and in collective bargaining—i.e. the employer,” according to the DGB. The purpose of a trade union is to promote working conditions.
Trade unions have several tasks: In addition to negotiating collective agreements for more pay, time off or better working conditions, they also support their members in specific issues, for example by providing legal advice. They have to pay a fee for this, which is usually one percent of gross income for employees. However, in the event of a strike, members receive money from the so-called strike fund. The unions also offer their members benefits in many areas.
https://www.dgb.de/service/mitglied-werden/++co++619286d6-3d78-11e8-849e-52540088cada
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Gewerkschaften und Arbeitnehmer Streiken für bessere Löhne. Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL / Mostafa Elyasian.
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