Was ist eine Gewerkschaft?

Unions are associations of people who come together to improve the conditions under which they work and live. They exist for many different fields of work (you can find an overview on the following pages). The more members a union has, the better it can assert itself. Unions, along with their members, strive for better pay, adherence to workers‘ rights, and improved working conditions. One way to achieve this is through collective agreements: if a union has many members, it is strong enough to negotiate with employers, for example, for higher wages in its sector. Unions are independent of political parties and the state, but they represent political interests. Membership is voluntary. In Germany, union membership is protected by the constitution. This means you cannot be disadvantaged at work or in your free time because of your membership. Your membership is none of your employer’s business. The largest unions in Germany are grouped in the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). Their youth organizations form the DGB Youth.