Unions re-emerge with new strength in Germany

Associations register growth in their membership and greater interest among young people in joining unions. Among factors is the worsening of social conditions, but also greater self-confidence on the part of workers. Young German workers have shown interest in unionizing and in more industrial action, amid the country's progressive economic winter. After the major train drivers' strike at the end of January, several public transport services suspended their activities this Friday (02/02), and most flight controllers joined a warning strike at 11 airports this weekend .

The Ver.di union, Germany's largest, which called the most recent strikes, described 2023 as its most successful year since it was founded 22 years ago. Representing 1.9 million service providers from different sectors, it received 193 thousand new members this year, a net gain of 40 thousand memberships.

Other union associations show a similar trend: the GDL, for machinists, small but with a high profile, recently announced that it had grown 18% since 2015. In turn, the oldest German union, the NGG, in the gastronomy sector, expanded its frames with more than 20 thousand new affiliates in 2023.

Stefan Körzell, from the board of directors of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB), welcomed the fact that five of its eight member associations reported an increase in their membership.

“First of all, we are all really happy. It's a positive sign. We have an age pyramid like all membership organizations, such as parties, churches and clubs. And I think we managed to reverse the trend over the last two, three years, thanks to smart policy and interest representation.”

Engagement of members surprises the unions themselves

However, Körzell is also alert to the fact that the previous year was an anomaly, as union membership has been falling steadily in Germany for decades. The DGB has shrunk from 9.3 million members in the mid-1990s to 5.6 million, mainly due to demographic shifts, as an older generation of wage earners gradually enters retirement.

Just to compensate for such “natural” losses, a large union like Ver.di would need to recruit at least 150,000 new members every year. In this context, the current increase may seem like a trifle, but it still bodes well for the sector.

The numbers also indicate renewed interest among younger generations: Ver.di points out that 50,000 of newly affiliated members are under 28 years of age. “We see this in all areas: even the unions that did not increase their numbers, in total, had more young members”, records Körzell.

Researcher Thorsten Schulten, from the Hans Böckler Foundation, linked to DGB, believes that Ver.di owes many of its new partners mainly to recent labor disputes. However, this does not mean that organizations are intentionally inciting strikes to increase their own power.

“I think the unions themselves are amazed at the strength of their members’ support and participation. It seems to me that in certain areas they are being encouraged by the members themselves.” For the researcher, the current wave of industrial action is the result of growing social adversities.

“We must not forget that in recent years we have had historically high inflation rates, that wage earners have had to endure some heavy real wage losses. And this has created real problems for low-income citizens. So who, if not a union, to ensure that compensation is obtained?”

Körzell agrees that the current trend is partly due to union action in recent economic crises, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian war in Ukraine: in his view, unions would have been essential to avoid mass unemployment, collaborating with governments and companies adapting to short-term contracts and negotiating compensation packages.

Workers realize their own importance

Another factor, according to Schulten, is that workers are realizing that companies need them more than ever, given the shortage in the job market. “They are not afraid of losing their jobs. The lack of skilled labor has not automatically resulted in better working conditions, there is a need for active engagement.”

Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) agrees: “We have 1.8 million vacancies open, and employees are becoming more confident and saying: 'We want better working conditions and better wages.'”

The problem is that only 50% of jobs in Germany are covered by collective wage agreements negotiated by unions, designed to guarantee minimum wages in certain sectors – which is far from the 80% target set by the European Union in 2022. Other jobs are effectively outside the scope of union action.

“Of course, it is difficult to reach employees not included in collective agreements”, recognizes Körzell. “But we have seen, for example, that even home delivery people are fighting alongside us so that their companies also participate in these agreements.”