Young workers bring about a turnaround at ver.di

Among other things, the working world in 2023 was marked by various strikes in different industries. Whether train drivers and railway staff, teachers, or healthcare workers: employees in all these professions have downed tools in recent months. It therefore comes as little surprise that interest in trade unions is growing overall – and that the ver.di union can now report its largest increase in membership since its foundation in 2001.

Speaking to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” newspaper, union chairman Frank Werneke said that the last time there was such a surge in union membership was in the 1980s. In recent years, ver.di had lost more members than it had gained, but in 2023 this trend reversed. Not only the public sector contributed to this, but also the retail and postal sectors. In addition, ver.di gained popularity among young people in particular: around a third of new members are younger than 27, according to the union chairman. Ver.di attributes the reasons for this development to two factors: On the one hand, people are becoming less wary of unions. Whereas in the past, employees tended to fear losing their jobs if they became involved in union activities, this fear has diminished somewhat due to the shortage of skilled workers. Employees are currently gaining a new sense of self-confidence, which is changing the balance of power in the labor market. Secondly, the financial pressure on many employees is also increasing due to price developments in recent months, leading to greater financial worries and a need for support for public sector employees.

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