PRESS RELEASE IG Metall on Anti-War Day: Peace Now!

Frankfurt – On September 1, Anti-War Day, IG Metall calls for action for peace in Ukraine. Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has now lasted over a year and a half, during which death, suffering, and destruction have been inflicted on the civilian population. Every day, grave crimes against universal human rights are being committed. We see this everywhere where wars and civil wars rage—whether in Syria, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, or Ethiopia. The guns must finally fall silent—everywhere! War and the violation of international agreements cannot and must not be a means of conflict resolution. IG Metall firmly rejects war as a political tool. Together with the DGB and other individual unions, we are committed to peace, arms control, and disarmament, to respect for human rights, and to greater social justice.

IG Metall supports all calls on the Russian government to immediately cease all hostilities and withdraw its troops. Ukraine’s national sovereignty must be restored. This requires confidence-building measures as well as credible and effective security guarantees for Ukraine. Arms deliveries can be legitimate when democratic states exercise their right to self-defense against an armed attack. But one thing is also clear: human rights take precedence over export opportunities. Arms exports must be handled in a restrictive and transparent manner. We call for coordinated and common guidelines for arms export controls within the EU.

One thing is clear in all of this: defense spending must not be pitted against the funding of important social policy projects and necessary public investments for implementing the socio-ecological transformation. IG Metall rejects arbitrarily set targets for military spending. The defense budget should be based on what is necessary to fulfill the tasks of national and alliance defense. In addition, resources and efforts for civilian conflict prevention and development cooperation must be significantly increased.

There is also a need for a broad societal debate on peace and security in the 21st century—on how a new architecture for peace and security in Europe must be shaped and how international organizations can be strengthened.