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21 October, 2007
On the occasion of its ten-year anniversary in Hannover, Germany, ICEM affiliate IGBCE hosted 380 guests in the atrium of its building, with President Hubertus Schmoldt reflecting on the past and the view forward. The event occurred on 15 October 2007.
Schmoldt called the past decade "a time of great challenges” in which the union created several excellent bases for the future of German workers. The evening event also featured a panel discussion, with participants that included Schmoldt, Social Democratic Party General Secretary Hubertus Heil, Christian Democratic Party General Secretary Ronald Pofalla, and IGBCE Governing Board Member Michael Vassiliadis participating.
IGBCE President Hubertus Schmoldt
Discussion centered on the political pros and cons of Germany’s Agenda 2010. The IGBCE participants pledged to continue to improve the basic industries of the country by promoting education and innovation. Industrial competitiveness, they said, must come through developing high-tech workplaces. They also reiterated the demand that the federal government promote research and technology in the life sciences so that employment and growth occurs.
Schmoldt also took the opportunity during the panel discussion to say that social benefits for older, unemployed workers must be improved.
The IGBCE was formed at a founding Congress that took place from 6-10 October 1997 in Hannover. It was the result of a five-year cooperation process and three-way merger between IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik, IG Bergbau and Energie, and Gewerkschaft Leder, the Leather Workers’ Union. It represents 770,000 workers in mining, chemicals and plastics, utilities, oil and gas, glass, ceramics, leather, pulp and paper, non-metallic materials' industries, and environmental job sectors.