IG Metall
Encyclopedia
IG Metall is the dominant metalworkers' union
in Germany
. Analysts of German labor relations
consider it a major trend-setter in national bargaining. As a metalworkers' union, it represents workers in the motor vehicle industry. Significantly, IG Metall represents both blue- and white-collar workers.
On April 1, 1998 the Gewerkschaft Textil und Bekleidung (GTB),
the trade union of textile and clothing joined IGM.
On January 1, 2000 the Gewerkschaft Holz und Kunststoff (GHK),
the trade union of wood and plastics joined IGM.
IGM is a member of the German Confederation of Trade Unions
(Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB). IGM is also a member of some international union umbrella organisations.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Analysts of German labor relations
Labor relations
Industrial relations is a multidisciplinary field that studies the employment relationship. Industrial relations is increasingly being called employment relations because of the importance of non-industrial employment relationships. Many outsiders also equate industrial relations to labour relations...
consider it a major trend-setter in national bargaining. As a metalworkers' union, it represents workers in the motor vehicle industry. Significantly, IG Metall represents both blue- and white-collar workers.
On April 1, 1998 the Gewerkschaft Textil und Bekleidung (GTB),
the trade union of textile and clothing joined IGM.
On January 1, 2000 the Gewerkschaft Holz und Kunststoff (GHK),
the trade union of wood and plastics joined IGM.
IGM is a member of the German Confederation of Trade Unions
German Confederation of Trade Unions
The Confederation of German Trade Unions is an umbrella organisation for eight German trade unions, in total representing more than 7 million people . It was founded in Munich, 12 October 1949.The DGB coordinates joint demands and activities within the German trade union movement...
(Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB). IGM is also a member of some international union umbrella organisations.
Organisation structure
IGM consists of 7 Bezirke (districts) which are subdivided in Verwaltungstellen (administrative areas):- Bezirk Baden-Württemberg headquarters located in Stuttgart; 28 Verwaltungstellen
- Bezirk Bayern ( Bavaria ) headquarters located in Munich; 21 Verwaltungstellen
- Bezirk Berlin-Brandenburg-Sachsen ( Berlin + Brandenburg + Saxony ) headquarters located in Berlin; 12 Verwaltungstellen
- Bezirk Frankfurt ( Saarland + Rhineland-Palatinate + Hesse + Thuringia ) headquarters located in Frankfurt/Main; 27 Verwaltungstellen
- Bezirk Küste ( "Küste"= "Sea Coast" ) ( Bremen + Hamburg + Schleswig-Holstein + Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ) headquarters located in Hamburg; 19 Verwaltungstellen
- Bezirk Niedersachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt ( Lower Saxony + Saxony-Anhalt ) headquarters located in Hanover; 20 Verwaltungstellen
- Bezirk Nordrhein-Westfalen ( North Rhine-Westphalia ) headquarters located in Düsseldorf; 47 Verwaltungstellen
metall magazine
The IGM magazine metallzeitung has existed since 1949. In 2005 it had a circulation of over 2 million per issue. There are 12 issues per year.Chairmen
- 1949-1950: Hans Brümmer, Walter Freitag, Wilhelm Petersen
- 1950-1952: Hans Brümmer // 2nd chairman: Walter Freitag
- 1952-1956: Hans Brümmer // 2nd chairman: Otto Brenner
- 1956-1968: Otto Brenner
- 1968-1972: Otto Brenner // 2nd chairman: Eugen Loderer
- 1972-1983: Eugen Loderer // 2nd chairman: Hans Mayr
- 1983-1986: Hans Mayr // 2nd chairman: Franz Steinkühler
- 1986-1989: Franz Steinkühler // 2nd chairman: Karl-Heinz Jansen
- 1989-1993: Franz Steinkühler // 2nd chairman: Klaus Zwickel
- 1993-1998: Klaus Zwickel // 2nd chairman: Walter Riester
- 1998-2003: Klaus Zwickel // 2nd chairman: Jürgen Peters
- 2003-2007: Jürgen Peters // 2nd chairman: Berthold Huber
- 2007- : Berthold Huber // 2nd chairman: Detlef Wetzel
External links
- German homepage
- English section of German Homepage
- http://www.otto-brenner-stiftung.de/englisch.neu/
- http://www.igmetall.de/metall/ - online version of the magazine, in German
Further reading
- Thelen, Kathleen. 1993. West European Labor in Transition: Sweden and Germany Compared. World Politics 46, no. 1 (October): 23-49.