We are IG Metall Gerd Schlegel

“Among other things, we manufacture systems that can automatically inspect railroad wheel axles for operational damage. This is done using ultrasound. My responsibilities as a service technician include maintenance, as well as troubleshooting when the systems malfunction. I travel from one maintenance facility or ICE depot to the next—mostly Deutsche Bahn facilities. But I also visit rail depots abroad. Sometimes I’m in Nuremberg, sometimes in Berlin, then in Wittenberge, or even in Switzerland or Russia. I’m usually on site for about a week. During that time, I inspect the mechanical and electrical components of the equipment, check the ultrasonic system, and replace wear parts. Of course, I also verify that all components are working together properly and that the system functions correctly as a whole. Ultrasound is sometimes jokingly referred to as “black magic.” That’s because, at first glance, you can’t always tell why the system might, for example, indicate damage in the axle that isn’t actually there. Or existing alignment errors might no longer be detected. That’s when things get tricky—and that’s exactly what I find exciting. When you can’t explain a problem right away and have to investigate: What exactly is going on here? How can I solve the problem? That’s a challenge, and the work never gets boring.

Here’s how I see it: What does the company want? First and foremost, to make a profit. So you have to keep costs down. What’s the best way to do that? Through wages. That’s where the union comes in and says: No. And that’s the right thing to do, because otherwise rising living costs would eat into wages. That’s why IG Metall is important. I know this from my wife, who works in the social services sector and has now had to accept a pay cut—simply because there’s no union representation at her company.”

(Note: This profile has been slightly abridged for igmetall.de. You can find more information under “Our IG Metall.”)