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21 January, 2001Against the backdrop of increasing membership, the German metalworkers' union is starting a special initiative to organise new members.
GERMANY: The IMF's German affiliate, IG Metall, reports that it will be investing 12 million German marks (over US$5.7 million) in 2001 for organising new members. Conditions are good for an organising drive because at the end of last year IG Metall's membership figures were again on the upswing, with 2.763 million members, or an increase of 61,489 compared to 1999.
Some of the rise can be attributed to integrating the former woodworkers into IG Metall's ranks. But in addition to this, developments among apprentices and young workers have been especially positive, so much so that in the year 2000 24,052 apprentices joined IG Metall. Every fourth new member is an apprentice. 43.6 per cent of the union's new members in the "old" states, or western Germany, are below 25 years of age. Altogether last year, 96,000 new members joined IG Metall. The "old" states saw an increase in new members of 4.6 per cent. In the "new" states, or eastern Germany, for the first time in years there has been a rise in new members, of 1.2 per cent.
IG Metall wants to get a hold on this positive trend. In nearly all its 173 local offices, additional programmes for organising are being set up, from information and communications technology (ICT) to the craft sectors. Special programmes are also being planned for engineers, workers in call centers, temporary staff, apprentices, youth workers as well as employees in small and medium-sized companies and plants. The target is to increase the membership figures by even more than last year's.
All new apprentices and workers are being personally contacted by union shop stewards and works' council members and the policies of IG Metall as well as the results of collective and company agreements it has concluded are being communicated to these people.
IG Metall can be proud of this new upward trend. It shows not only strong confidence in the capacity of the union to protect its members and to formulate and realise policies in the interest of its members, but it also shows confidence is increasing in the non-unionised workforce.
Source: IG Metall
Some of the rise can be attributed to integrating the former woodworkers into IG Metall's ranks. But in addition to this, developments among apprentices and young workers have been especially positive, so much so that in the year 2000 24,052 apprentices joined IG Metall. Every fourth new member is an apprentice. 43.6 per cent of the union's new members in the "old" states, or western Germany, are below 25 years of age. Altogether last year, 96,000 new members joined IG Metall. The "old" states saw an increase in new members of 4.6 per cent. In the "new" states, or eastern Germany, for the first time in years there has been a rise in new members, of 1.2 per cent.
IG Metall wants to get a hold on this positive trend. In nearly all its 173 local offices, additional programmes for organising are being set up, from information and communications technology (ICT) to the craft sectors. Special programmes are also being planned for engineers, workers in call centers, temporary staff, apprentices, youth workers as well as employees in small and medium-sized companies and plants. The target is to increase the membership figures by even more than last year's.
All new apprentices and workers are being personally contacted by union shop stewards and works' council members and the policies of IG Metall as well as the results of collective and company agreements it has concluded are being communicated to these people.
IG Metall can be proud of this new upward trend. It shows not only strong confidence in the capacity of the union to protect its members and to formulate and realise policies in the interest of its members, but it also shows confidence is increasing in the non-unionised workforce.
Source: IG Metall