Frankfurt am Main – Under the motto “Time for the Future,” IG Metall has opened its 25th Regular Union Congress in Frankfurt am Main. Over the coming days, 421 elected delegates from across Germany will discuss and adopt the work program for the next four years. Tomorrow, Monday, the new leadership team led by Christiane Benner and Jürgen Kerner will also stand for election.
Jörg Hofmann, the outgoing President of IG Metall, emphasized the importance of this convention: “Union congresses must find answers for the here and now. And a great deal has changed since the last union congress: Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the tectonic shifts in geopolitics and economic policy, and the transformation challenges now taking hold in workplaces—to name just a few examples that will occupy the union congress. But we also want to reorganize our leadership and working structures by strengthening the rank and file in the workplaces, streamlining our leadership at the top, and initiating a generational transition in the leadership team. The goal is to further solidify the path toward social, ecological, and democratic transformation.”
Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, emphasized at the opening event the importance of IG Metall for the success of industrial transformation in Germany: “We are living in challenging times. The monumental task of transformation demands that we embrace change and shape the future. And for this, we need a strong social partnership and strong unions that advocate for a robust, future-oriented industry and secure jobs. This is exactly what Jörg Hofmann has done with all his might in recent years. For this, I would like to express my most sincere thanks. I wish the union convention fruitful deliberations and discussions in the coming days during these difficult times.”
Yasmin Fahimi, Chairwoman of the German Trade Union Federation, spoke out in her speech in favor of extending the electricity price caps with a reliable, competitive transitional electricity price for energy-intensive industries: “We want a future with a strong, climate-friendly industry. But without this transitional measure, we will not be able to achieve the transition to a sustainable economy. To put Germany back on the path to modernization and secure future prosperity, the government must act now. In doing so, we must follow the example of the U.S. government and make it clear: there is no government money without something in return. Our conditions are: collectively bargained wages, commitments to maintain operations, and investment pledges!”
The Union Congress is IG Metall’s highest decision-making body and convenes every four years. Democratically elected delegates—the vast majority of whom are volunteer members of IG Metall—decide on the tasks, goals, and priorities for the next four years based on motions submitted. A total of more than 530 motions were submitted for discussion. They focus primarily on topics such as shaping the energy and mobility transition, securing employment and the welfare state, as well as issues of co-determination and collective bargaining policy.
Regarding the agenda: Following the opening and organizational session this Sunday, the election of the new Executive Board is scheduled for tomorrow morning. This will be followed by the deliberation of the motions, interrupted by the newly elected First Chairperson’s keynote address on Tuesday, October 24, at 9 a.m., a visit by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the same day at 2 p.m., and a visit by Labor Minister Hubertus Heil on Wednesday, October 25, at 4:30 p.m. The union convention will end on Thursday, October 26, around 4 p.m.
Note:
You can find a livestream of the union convention at
https://igmetall.de/gwt-live
