IG Metall is the dominant metalworkers' union in Germany, making it the country's largest union as well as Europe's largest industrial union. Analysts of German labor relations consider it a major trend-setter in national bargaining.
Trade unions in Germany have a history reaching back to the German revolution in 1848, and still play an important role in the German economy and society.
Ottmar Schreiner was a German lawyer and left-wing politician. He was known as one of the leading leftists in his party, SPD.
Hans Böckler was a German politician and trade union leader. He was the most influential re-founder of the unions in post-war Germany and became the first president of the German Trade Union Confederation.
(Georg) Friedrich Weißler was a German lawyer and judge. Born into a Jewish family and baptized Protestant, he joined the Christian resistance against the Nazi regime after Nazi bullies had destroyed his judicial career.
Robert Fischer was a notable German unionist and social democratic politician.
Rudolf Wissell was a German politician in the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). During the Weimar Republic, he held office as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister for Labour.
The Factory Workers' Union of Germany was a trade union in Germany.
The General German Trade Union Federation was a confederation of German trade unions in Germany founded during the Weimar Republic. It was founded in 1919 and was initially powerful enough to organize a general strike in 1920 against a right-wing coup d'état. After the 1929 Wall Street crash, the ensuing global financial crisis caused widespread unemployment. The ADGB suffered a dramatic loss of membership, both from unemployment and political squabbles. By the time the Nazis seized control of the government, the ADGB's leadership had distanced itself from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and was openly cooperating with Nazis in an attempt to keep the organization alive. Nonetheless, on May 2, 1933, the SA and SS stormed the offices of the ADGB and its member trade unions, seized their assets and arrested their leaders, crushing the organization.
Willi Dickhut was a German communist and cofounder of the Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany.
August Enderle was a German socialist politician, trades unionist, journalist and author.
Ludwig Becker was a German politician, member of the Communist Party of Germany, and trades unionist who participated in illegal political opposition during the Nazi years.
Eugen Ochs was a communist politician and trades union leader.
Ella Trebe was a German factory worker who became an anti-government resistance activist after 1933. She was charged with high treason but was then taken to Sachsenhausen concentration camp where she was shot dead, so that her case never came to trial.
The Union of Miners of Germany was a trade union representing miners in Germany.
Verband deutscher Gewerkschaften was a German Nazi trade union centre in Czechoslovakia. The organization was formed in 1929, by eight unions that broke away from the Reichsvereinigung der deutscher Gewerkschaften. At the time of the founding of Verband deutscher Gewerkschaften, its affiliates claimed a combined membership of 46,700. The organization had its headquarters in Ústí nad Labem.
The German Tobacco Workers' Union was a trade union representing people in the tobacco manufacturing industry in Germany.
The Union of Coppersmiths of Germany was a trade union representing coppersmiths in Germany.
The Swiss Metalworkers' and Watchmakers' Union was a trade union representing workers in the metal and watchmaking industries in Switzerland.
Workers of the German auto manufacturer Volkswagen Group are collectively organized and represented by unions and Works Councils across the globe. Workers are organized on multiple levels; locally, regionally, nationally, internationally and by marque.
