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17 May, 2000IG Metall gives green light for debate on the future.
GERMANY: The German metalworkers' union, IG Metall, is preparing a three-year-long debate on the future. It starts in November this year, and a first round will be ready by April 2001. Thereafter, a second round of discussion on a future programme will take place. A "Congress on the Future" is planned for the first half of 2002.
"IG Metall must keep in top form for the future," says its president, Klaus Zwickel. "Our debate must be socially and politically influential, but it must also be aimed at changing ourselves."
The background is the ongoing transformation of society into a service society, worldwide globalisation and increasing individualisation. Trade unions have to review their policy and structure in a self-critical way.
Zwickel says there will be no taboos in the debate. On the contrary, all questions and demands from IG Metall's members, as well as non members, will be discussed. Scientists and organisations outside the trade union movement will also be invited to take part in the debate. One of the objectives is to make IG Metall more attractive to new groups of workers, and workers who are not organised today.
IG Metall has 2.8 million members.
"IG Metall must keep in top form for the future," says its president, Klaus Zwickel. "Our debate must be socially and politically influential, but it must also be aimed at changing ourselves."
The background is the ongoing transformation of society into a service society, worldwide globalisation and increasing individualisation. Trade unions have to review their policy and structure in a self-critical way.
Zwickel says there will be no taboos in the debate. On the contrary, all questions and demands from IG Metall's members, as well as non members, will be discussed. Scientists and organisations outside the trade union movement will also be invited to take part in the debate. One of the objectives is to make IG Metall more attractive to new groups of workers, and workers who are not organised today.
IG Metall has 2.8 million members.