German trade unions
| National trade union organization(s) | DGB |
|---|---|
| National government agency(ies) | Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs |
| Primary trade union legislation | Article 9, Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law |
| International Labour Organization | |
| Germany is a member of the ILO | |
| Convention ratification | |
| Freedom of Association | March 20, 1957 |
| Right to Organise | June 8, 1956 |
Trade unions in Germany have a history reaching back to the German revolution in 1848, and still play an important role in the German economy and society.
The most important labor organization is the German Confederation of Trade Unions (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, or DGB), which is the umbrella association of eight single trade unions for individual economic sectors, representing more than 6 million people as of 2014[update]. The largest single trade union is the IG Metall, which as of 2014[update] organizes about 2.3 million members in metal (including automobile and machine building), electronics, steel, textile, wood and synthetics industries.
The German Federation of Trade Unions ("Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund" (DGB)) is the largest umbrella organization of unions in Germany. The eight different unions that belong to it cover many sectors of German industry, public services such as police, and higher and professional education. In 2001, DGB united 84% of all union members in Germany. While the number of members was over eleven million in 1991, it has reduced to 6.19 million in 2010. Of these members, about two thirds were actively employed. The following list shows the unions belonging to DGB:
In the 1990ies, about three quarters of members of worker councils belonged to the DGB. This number has slightly reduced since then: in 2010, it was 68%.
Unions are considered to be social policy coalitions that are especially protected under the constitutionally guaranteed right of forming associations for the preservation and promotion of working and economic conditions. Agreements that restrict or obstruct this right are therefore invalid and illicit ( Rechtsstatus Gewerkschaften stehen als sozialpolitische Koalitionen unter dem besonderen Schutz der grundgesetzlich gewährleisteten Unabdingbarkeit des Rechtes auf die Bildung von Vereinigungen zur Wahrung und Förderung der Arbeits- und Wirtschaftsbedingungen, darum sind Abreden zur Einschränkung oder Behinderung dieses Rechtes nichtig und rechtswidrig (Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, article 9, paragraph 3).
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