Read this article in:
English
28 April, 2015This, together with "If you want the best, you can't do without women" was the slogan for IG Metall's 20th women's conference that ended on 21 April in Willingen, Germany. About 200 women met to discuss among other things their motions for the IG Metall Congress later in the year.
The Women's conference was full of highlights. One of them was the address by Gesine Schwan who twice ran for Federal President for the Socialist party SPD. She insists on the principle of partnership in human relations, but for that women need to be financially independent. Financial independence will not however be achieved by mini-jobs. She praised IG Metall for being "an explicit women's union."
The conference broke out into workshops on equal pay, new industrial structures, health, working time models, work-life balance, quotas for women, flexible working time and local women's committees.
Motions dealt with other issues such as flexibility - which is fine as long as it is the way we want it - demographic change and getting rid of stereotypes.
One major concern is the future of work. The continuing technological trends are likely to lead to more productivity and a need for fewer workers. A new working time initiative needs to be launched for the 30-hour week. This reduced working time will help make work-life balance become a reality. It will be possible to divide up paid work better between women and men. Reduced working time will be a real step toward gender emancipation.
In light of the trends in the world of work, women stand to lose out in employment since more jobs are expected to disappear in production and offices. Jobs are likely to be created in highly qualified areas where women currently are under-represented . Qualification and career development will be vital in the future. That is why it will be essential to take measures to guarantee workers' and especially women's livelihoods.
One more highlight was Games with Power played by Marion Knaths from the organization She Boss, which showed that anything men can do to get power, women can do better.
IG Metall is changing, moving away from a male-dominated union. Women have to be urged to take leadership positions. They have to develop strategies to win men over, and to work together with men to change the reality at work and in society.