When German trade unionists meet every four years for a big palaver, they call it the “Parliament of Labour”. This sublime title is daring, since the congress of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) sometimes drags itself along in small parts. This week, however, the DGB has achieved something sublime, because with Yasmin Fahimi it has elected a woman to the top for the first time. Anyone looking around the German economy will recognize the importance immediately.
None of the four major business organizations is led by a woman. There are two female bosses in the 40 Dax companies, quota: five percent. There are now three women on the DGB board, quota: 75 percent. Of course, the umbrella organization could have elected a boss for eight individual trade unions earlier. But at least he is doing it now, while the entrepreneurs only talk about equality. If Christiane Benner also moves to the top of IG Metall next year, the difference to the corporate world will be huge.
Of course, the significance of Yasmin Fahimi’s choice doesn’t end with the fact that she is a woman. That would be bad. It depends on the qualification, so that Germany’s employees have something of this personality. And just as this question should be asked with many male leadership rivets, it can also be asked here: Can Fahimi do it? We will only really know that in a few years. What is clear, however, is that she has worked on the relevant issues and has experience in politics – and momentum.
That could already be seen when the 54-year-old stormed onto the DGB stage in white sneakers on Monday. Fahimi speaks clearer and more engaging than some male predecessors. This is sorely needed. In order to do more for workers in business and politics, unions must stop shrinking.
In order to attract members, they need to inspire more. And in doing so, target young people and women in general, which they are still not able to do enough. While the female employment rate in 30 years from 57 to 72 percent has increasedtheir share of union membership has stagnated at a third.
Politicians should ensure that corporate power does not continue to grow at the expense of the trade unions
It is not at all the case that workers’ organizations achieve little. Anyone who gets a wage negotiated by the union earns significantly more than without. And also because the unions were pushing for subsidies for short-time work, the Corona crisis passed without mass layoffs. Only they sell such successes badly.
To be fair, it is also the change that weakens workers’ organizations. Corporate power has grown. Global competition makes trade unionists just as vulnerable to blackmail as the growing technical possibilities to replace people with machines do. New jobs are increasingly being created by service providers, some of whom brutally exclude employee representatives.
Responding to this in the interests of the workers is not at all easy for the unions. They deserve more political help. The federal government can declare collective wages to be generally binding. And punish when managers sabotage works councils – only every tenth company has such a body.
The chances of political support are increasing because an SPD member now occupies the chancellor’s office. And because the new DGB boss Fahimi has a strong network in politics. In order to really achieve more for workers, however, unions need to do more work on themselves. During the search process for the DGB leadership, they damaged several candidates – and in the end Fahimi too. The Verdi trade union in particular should get its ego under control.
Workers want strong support. They are drained by Corona, hit by inflation, worried about the digital and ecological change that threatens jobs. Being there for the workers is a major task for the unions right now. But you can also totally screw up such a task.