Ursula Engelen-Kefer
Encyclopedia
Ursula Engelen-Kefer held the position of Deputy Chairman of the German Confederation of Trade Unions
(Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund; DGB) from 1990 to 2006. She is now a lecturer at the German Federal Employment Agency’s special training school Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit in Schwerin
. She also teaches at the Free University of Berlin
and chairs the Social Policy Working Group of the non-government organization Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD). From 1986 to 2009, Ursula Engelen-Kefer belonged to the 45-member „Executive Committee“ of the Social Democratic Party
(SPD). She was chosen by the district of Ingolstadt, Eichstätt and Neuburg-Schrobenhausen to be its direct SPD candidate for the Bundestag
in the last federal election (on September 27, 2009). In July 2009 she was elected as member of the "Executive Committee" of the Social Democratic Party
in Bavaria.
appointed her Vice President of the German Federal Employment Administration (Bundesanstalt für Arbeit, BA), a position she held until 1990.
In 1990, the German Trade Union Federation Congress in Hamburg elected Ursula Engelen-Kefer as Deputy Chairman of the DGB. Re-elected three times, she held this position until May 2006. During that time she was alternate chairman of the managing board and later the supervisory board of Federal Employment Agency (BA). For several years she also chaired, on an alternate basis with the top employer representative, the German Social Security Administration (Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund, formerly Verband Deutscher Rentenversicherungsträger). From 1985 to 2010, she was a member of the Committee for Social Order (Kammer für Soziale Ordnung) of the Evangelical Church in Germany
(EKD). For two terms she represented the Unions in the EKD’s leading body (Synode), in the Senate of the Max Planck Society
and in the ZDF
Fernsehrat, the supervisory body of Germany’s second public television channel.
After Heinz-Werner Meyer, the DGB’s chairman, died shortly before the DGB Federal Congress in 1994, Engelen-Kefer had to assume the chairmanship on a temporary basis until Dieter Schulte
, member of the Managing Board of IG Metall
, was nominated and elected as new DGB chairman. After serving four terms, at the DGB Federal Congress in May 2006 in Berlin, Engelen-Kefer decided to stand again for election. In the election of the new DGB Managing Board on May 23, 2006, she was defeated by Ingrid Sehrbrock, a member of the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU), who had been nominated by the chairmen of the eight unions that form the DGB. 161 delegates voted for Engelen-Kefer, 212 delegates voted for Ingrid Sehrbrock.
On the international stage Ursula Engelen-Kefer was active in several institutions and bodies. She represented the DGB unions in the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) from 1991 to 2008. She also was a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) of the European Union (1978 to 1986 and 1990 to 2006) and a member of the Consultative Committee of the European Social Fund
(1974—1980). The was a member of the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation
(ETUC; 1990—2006) and of the Executive Committee of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU) from 1990 to 2006.
On April 28, 2010, the governing board (Senate) of the University of the German Federal Labour Agency (Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit), Mannheim and Schwerin, appointed Dr. Ursula Engelen-Kefer as professor (honorary professorship
) for "International and European Labour Market and Employment Policies" at the University of the German Federal Labour Agency, effective April 1, 2010.
Ursula Engelen-Kefer received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
(Cross of Merit First Class) presented to her by the Minister of Labour, Norbert Blüm
. She is married to the economic journalist Klaus C. Engelen. The couple has two sons.
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) from 1990 to 2006. She is now a lecturer at the German Federal Employment Agency’s special training school Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit in Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
. She also teaches at the Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
and chairs the Social Policy Working Group of the non-government organization Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD). From 1986 to 2009, Ursula Engelen-Kefer belonged to the 45-member „Executive Committee“ of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD). She was chosen by the district of Ingolstadt, Eichstätt and Neuburg-Schrobenhausen to be its direct SPD candidate for the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
in the last federal election (on September 27, 2009). In July 2009 she was elected as member of the "Executive Committee" of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
in Bavaria.
Background and Union Career
Ursula Engelen-Kefer studied economics at Cologne University and got her doctorate with a thesis Retraining in a growing economy — the experience of the United States. She started as a free lance journalist in New York and later joined the Economic and Social Science Institute of the DGB (Wirtschafts-und Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut des DGB). In 1974 she moved to the DGB as expert for international social policy. From 1980 to 1984 she headed DGB’s department for labour market policy. In 1984, the Government of Chancellor Helmut KohlHelmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
appointed her Vice President of the German Federal Employment Administration (Bundesanstalt für Arbeit, BA), a position she held until 1990.
In 1990, the German Trade Union Federation Congress in Hamburg elected Ursula Engelen-Kefer as Deputy Chairman of the DGB. Re-elected three times, she held this position until May 2006. During that time she was alternate chairman of the managing board and later the supervisory board of Federal Employment Agency (BA). For several years she also chaired, on an alternate basis with the top employer representative, the German Social Security Administration (Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund, formerly Verband Deutscher Rentenversicherungsträger). From 1985 to 2010, she was a member of the Committee for Social Order (Kammer für Soziale Ordnung) of the Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
(EKD). For two terms she represented the Unions in the EKD’s leading body (Synode), in the Senate of the Max Planck Society
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
and in the ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
Fernsehrat, the supervisory body of Germany’s second public television channel.
After Heinz-Werner Meyer, the DGB’s chairman, died shortly before the DGB Federal Congress in 1994, Engelen-Kefer had to assume the chairmanship on a temporary basis until Dieter Schulte
Dieter Schulte
Dieter Schulte is a German trade union leader. He was chairman of the German Confederation of Trade Unions from 1994 to 2002.-References:...
, member of the Managing Board of IG Metall
IG Metall
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...
, was nominated and elected as new DGB chairman. After serving four terms, at the DGB Federal Congress in May 2006 in Berlin, Engelen-Kefer decided to stand again for election. In the election of the new DGB Managing Board on May 23, 2006, she was defeated by Ingrid Sehrbrock, a member of the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
(CDU), who had been nominated by the chairmen of the eight unions that form the DGB. 161 delegates voted for Engelen-Kefer, 212 delegates voted for Ingrid Sehrbrock.
On the international stage Ursula Engelen-Kefer was active in several institutions and bodies. She represented the DGB unions in the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) from 1991 to 2008. She also was a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) of the European Union (1978 to 1986 and 1990 to 2006) and a member of the Consultative Committee of the European Social Fund
European Social Fund
The European Social Fund is the European Union’s main financial instrument for supporting employment in the Member States as well as promoting economic and social cohesion. ESF spending amounts to around 10% of the EU’s total budget....
(1974—1980). The was a member of the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation
European Trade Union Confederation
The European Trade Union Confederation is a trade union organization which was established in 1973 to represent workers and their national affiliates at the European level....
(ETUC; 1990—2006) and of the Executive Committee of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions was an international trade union. It came into being on 7 December 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions , and was dissolved on 31 October 2006 when it merged with the World Confederation of Labour to form the...
(ICFTU) from 1990 to 2006.
On April 28, 2010, the governing board (Senate) of the University of the German Federal Labour Agency (Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit), Mannheim and Schwerin, appointed Dr. Ursula Engelen-Kefer as professor (honorary professorship
Honorary title (academic)
Honorary titles in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties...
) for "International and European Labour Market and Employment Policies" at the University of the German Federal Labour Agency, effective April 1, 2010.
Ursula Engelen-Kefer received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
(Cross of Merit First Class) presented to her by the Minister of Labour, Norbert Blüm
Norbert Blüm
Norbert Blüm is a German federal legislator from North Rhine-Westphalia, Chairman of the CDU there , and former minister for labor and social affairs ....
. She is married to the economic journalist Klaus C. Engelen. The couple has two sons.