Social Self-Governance 2023 Social Elections: Vote now for greater fairness!

This election affects almost everyone in Germany: Social insurance programs cover more than 74 million people. Many of them can actively vote in the social elections—and thereby influence social policy. For example, the direction of the pension system or health insurance plans.

Voting for the unions in the Social Security Elections makes our country a little more just. Because we are committed to ensuring that pensions and healthcare aren’t just about the costs. The benefits for the insured must be adequate!

All eligible voters will receive their election materials for the social elections by mail. The completed ballot must be received by the relevant election committee by May 31. For the first time, insured individuals with the substitute health insurance funds (TK, Barmer, DAK, KKH, and hkk) can also vote online.

2023 Social Insurance Elections: All the Info, All the Background

In the social insurance elections , insured individuals elect their representatives to the highest decision-making bodies of the social insurance system. Put simply: their insured persons’ parliaments. Employers and employees are represented in these bodies. Numerous metalworkers are also involved. They advocate for the interests of the insured—and thus the interests of the workforce.

Important decisions are made in the insured members’ parliaments. In the case of health insurance funds, for example, these decisions concern which subsidies the fund pays for dental cleanings or travel vaccinations, or how it supports companies in promoting health.

In the workers’ compensation associations, IG Metall advocates to ensure that colleagues receive proper care in the event of workplace accidents and occupational diseases.

Many IG Metall members are running again in the 2023 social elections. They stand up for the insured—in pension insurance, health insurance funds, and workers’ compensation associations.

2023 Social Elections: All Lists Featuring IG Metall Candidates

IG Metall is running with its own candidate lists here:

• German Federal Pension Insurance
• Techniker Health Insurance
• Barmer GEK
• DAK-Gesundheit
• Wood and Metal Workers’ Compensation Association (BG HM)
• Various company health insurance funds in the IG Metall sectors (e.g., BKK Daimler, BKK Siemens, BKK Linde)

Here, IG Metall is running jointly with Verdi :

• Occupational Accident Insurance Association for Energy, Textiles, Electrical, and Media Products (BG ETEM)

Here, IG Metall members are running on DGB lists:

• Local Health Insurance Funds (AOK)
• Guild Health Insurance Funds (IKK)
• Regional pension insurance agencies

More Women in Social Security

Although more than half of all insured individuals are women, the perspective of women is often missing from social security committees. Take health care, for example: Research and teaching in this country are predominantly based on male standard values. Women are not adequately represented in many clinical studies.

Although it is well known that many medications affect women and men differently—such as aspirin, heart medications, and beta-blockers—research into dosage recommendations specifically for women is rare.

To change this, we need pressure from the self-governing bodies, whose members are elected in the social security elections. Women’s expertise is needed to gain a comprehensive picture and make the right decisions in social security. Metalworkers are also campaigning for this in the 2023 social security elections.