On Labor Day today, DGB leader Fahimi highlighted the role of the unions. She also called for the extreme right to be stopped. She demanded that the SPD defend the welfare state.
Today, May 1st, the chairwoman of the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB), Yasmin Fahimi, highlighted the role of trade unions in democracy. She also called for the extremist right to be stopped. “Trade unions are the solidarity-based association of employees to develop self-organized power – independent of governments,” said Fahimi at the DGB’s main event on Labor Day in Hanover.
However, this power is a thorn in the side of the growing political forces on the right. “Why? Because independence and power through one’s own efforts are always in contradiction to the authoritarian omnipotence and control fantasies of right-wing ideologists,” she emphasized to several thousand listeners at the Klagesmarkt in Hanover.
Fahimi emphasizes the role of trade unions
Fahimi emphasized that May 1st is always a day of mobilization against forces that oppose democratic values. “We unions must and will do everything in our power to stop the extreme right and push back their divisive activities,” said Fahimi and called for the flag to be formed in alliance with social and environmental organizations, with cultural and sports associations and religious communities to show “until these brown agitators have been put in their place”.
Fahimi also highlighted the effectiveness of trade unions in ensuring good working conditions. “We remain the protective force of workers,” she said. Last year alone, the DGB unions negotiated new collective agreements for around eleven million employees.
Stand up for the welfare state
This year, Labor Day is under the heading “More pay, more free time, more security!”. This means continuing to advocate for good pay and fair participation in prosperity, for secure jobs and “work that leaves room for families and a good life.” Maintaining a welfare state with high-quality health care, comprehensive education and qualification opportunities as well as adequate pensions also requires unremitting commitment.
The DGB chairwoman said that between 1.3 and 2 billion hours of overtime were worked annually in Germany, well over half of which was unpaid. In view of this, it is “disrespectful” when some people talk about the need to make people “want to work”. “It then acts as if the employees in Germany are lazy and not willing to perform – and that ignores any reality,” criticized Fahimi.
Fahimi targets rich people
The former SPD general secretary called on the Social Democrats to defend the social policy achievements in Germany against the traffic light partners. “A dangerous general debate on the welfare state is currently underway,” she said. “Many of those who like to talk about citizens’ money actually want to discredit the welfare state and prevent the real injustices in society from being talked about,” Fahimi told the news magazine Spiegel. The SPD needs to say much more clearly and in simple words what actually sets it apart from the other parties.
Fahimi warned: “In the crisis, some who have never made peace with the welfare state are digging up old neoliberal ideas. In this respect, I expect the SPD to put more emphasis on its offers for economic and labor policy and not just wage defensive battles.” Some questions are hardly discussed. For example: “What do income millionaires actually contribute to the common good? Why is there still no collective agreement for half of the employees?”
“It’s apparently easier and sometimes a deliberate distraction to stir up a conflict in the population that doesn’t even exist: you have to go to work while someone else is lying lazily on the sofa with your money,” said Fahimi. “Instead of playing citizens’ benefit and minimum wage recipients off against each other, we should look at the absurdly high wealth with which some people live in luxury.”