The German Federation of Trade Unions is turning 75. The difficult economic situation also presents the unions with new tasks. However, there was a lot of praise and recognition from Federal President Steinmeier on the anniversary.
Despite the economic difficulties in Germany, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for optimism in the current restructuring of the economy. On the 75th birthday of the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB), Steinmeier calls on trade unionists to continue to be “a voice of confidence”: “We need that.”
The DGB should continue to fight for social justice during the ongoing “reconstruction of our country into a climate-neutral and increasingly digital economy,” said Steinmeier. Change does not necessarily mean threat and loss.
“New fascination with authoritarianism”
The Federal President warned of dangers from the right: “We live in a time of a new fascination with authoritarianism.” Misanthropic, national-radical, right-wing extremist forces are growing in popularity. “But we cannot leave the future of this country to them.”
This is what we owe today to the many trade unionists who fought for a democratic Germany during the Weimar Republic, National Socialism and reconstruction. “Free democracy is an open and protective house,” said Steinmeier. “We Democrats will not allow this house to be destroyed from within.”
Scholz sees many important issues
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, also present at the anniversary ceremony, said in his video podcast that the unions are still urgently needed today. “The five-day week, continued payment of wages if you are sick, proper collective agreements – none of this would exist without unions,” wrote the Chancellor on X. There are currently many issues that need to be tackled together.
Fahimi demands plan from traffic light
In view of the recession in Germany and the backlog of modernization, for example in digitalization, DGB boss Yasmin Fahimi demanded: “What we need is a reliable plan for a future-oriented policy of progress.” Public and private investments must go hand in hand.
“It would be fundamentally wrong to leave the century-long task of transformation as a transformation debt to those who follow.” In an interview with the dpa news agency, Fahimi had previously made serious accusations against the traffic light government: Many important projects are currently being blocked and valuable time is being wasted in times of crisis, she said with a view to the FDP.
February 26, 1950: The then Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (right) congratulates the first DGB chairman Hans Böckler on his 75th birthday.
“We don’t want to be subjects!”
The trade union federation was founded on October 13, 1949 in Munich. The first chairman was Hans Böckler, an SPD politician who temporarily went into hiding during the National Socialist era and was repeatedly in “protective custody”.
Today, the DGB wants to focus on curbing social uncertainty caused by ever-accelerating technological change. The main goal of the DGB is still: more social participation. Steinmeier also quoted one of Böckler’s important motto: “We want to be citizens, not subjects!”