Hanover – “Strong unions are the driving force behind social progress. And we are the driving force—in politics as well,” said Christiane Benner, Second Chair of IG Metall, in her May 1 speech on Wednesday in Hanover. The slogan “Europe. But do it right this time!” also means saying “No” to tax-cutting competition within the EU. “We must not accept that companies relocate their headquarters to the Netherlands or elsewhere for tax reasons, thereby undermining German co-determination.”
Benner spoke out in favor of a Europe that is more than just an economic area: “This also includes standards such as European minimum wages that protect workers. And we finally need a bold European industrial and structural policy.” Globalization, climate change, and digitalization do not stop at any national border. That is why it is necessary to shape the energy transition and digitalization on a Europe-wide scale.
The vice chair of IG Metall calls for “a bold EU that stands on equal footing with major economic powers such as China or the U.S.—and that has a vision of a social and just Europe!” One example could be a functioning charging infrastructure for alternative propulsion technologies, funded by EU funds, stretching from Portugal through Germany to the Baltic states.
Benner called on the federal government to finally consider the issues of climate transition, mobility transition, and digitalization together. “If we simply let developments run their course, digitalization or the shift from internal combustion engines to other propulsion systems will soon leave hundreds of thousands of people without jobs,” warned the vice chair of IG Metall. “It’s not for nothing that the Basic Law states: Property entails responsibility. Change can only happen fairly—socially, ecologically, and democratically.” To emphasize its demands regarding the shaping of the transformation process, IG Metall is calling for a large rally, #FairWandel, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on June 29, 2019.
The vice chair of IG Metall spoke out in favor of a reform of the welfare state that moves beyond the Hartz IV system. Sanctions are the wrong approach, and the standard benefit rates are too low. The union leader criticized the fact that one in six retirees in Germany lives in poverty and called for a basic pension for all. “This has to do with respect for each individual’s lifetime achievements,” Benner emphasized. However, introducing a basic pension is only one part of the solution. On the other hand, pension levels must be stabilized and raised again.
Benner warned that far-right extremists and right-wing populists are increasingly trying to divide people in Europe: “Right-wing populism, nationalism, and xenophobia are a threat to peaceful and harmonious coexistence. We will fight against them with every means at our disposal. We say ‘No’ to those who marginalize entire population groups and incite hatred against them: We take a clear stand against racism and xenophobia!”
Speech by Christiane Benner on May 1
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Unions are demonstrating on May 1 for a social Europe and a fair transition
