Press Release No. 10/2017 IG Metall: Nearly half a million members have an immigrant background

Frankfurt am Main – According to a recent study, IG Metall is the largest organization in Germany where people with a migrant background can have their interests represented. The study, conducted by the Berlin Institute for Empirical Integration and Migration Research (BIM) at Humboldt University of Berlin (HU), found that just under 22 percent of all IG Metall members have a migrant background. That amounts to nearly 500,000 people. “IG Metall thus reflects society and the industries in which it is active,” said Christiane Benner, Second Chair of IG Metall, on Monday in Frankfurt.

Thirty-two percent of works council members and 37 percent of union representatives have a migrant background. “Members with a migrant background are very active in the workplace and in the union and make a major contribution to a fair working world. IG Metall is a driving force for integration and embodies democratic participation,” Benner noted. Training, work, co-determination, and union involvement are key factors for the integration and empowerment of immigrants in Germany.

Since the 1970s, all employees—regardless of their citizenship—have been allowed to participate in works council elections and can run for any office. “Workplaces are a good example of solidarity and constructive cooperation based on democratic values,” Benner emphasized. The same applies to roles within the union. “Participation and integration are only possible if everyone can actively participate and contribute.”