Officially, the DGB is independent of any party, but most of the leadership is in the SPD. So also the still quite new DGB boss in the southwest. Now he also wants to have a say with his comrades in the country.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – The Baden-Württemberg DGB boss Kai Burmeister is aiming for the SPD state executive board and wants to campaign for greater relief for people in the state in this function. The 46-year-old state chairman of the German trade union federation would take the place of IG Metall district leader Roman Zitzelsberger, who is leaving the SPD executive committee. Burmeister told the German Press Agency in Stuttgart that he wanted to bring the views of employees, works councils and staff councils into the work of the SPD. The Southwest SPD will elect a new leadership at its party conference in Friedrichshafen this Saturday. Andreas Stoch is back as party leader.
Despite the three federal relief packages, Burmeister believes it is necessary for the state to help people in need during the crisis. It is true that green-black wants to support small and medium-sized companies, but many poorer people do not know how to make ends meet. “It would be one way to increase housing benefit in the country.” The trade unionist could imagine a one-time payment of 250 euros. The DGB is also urging the childcare fees to be suspended and free school meals to be offered. He called on the green-black state government to take the funds into their own hands. “Baden-Württemberg is efficient and has the money.”
The union boss also expects more engagement in labor market policy from the country. The coalition agreement states that the southwest should become a “model country for good work”. “The headline is correct. But we would like to see a lot more action here.” The State Tariff Loyalty Act is “as full of holes as Swiss cheese”. Burmeister called on Grün-Schwarz to only award public contracts to companies that adhere to collective agreements. Other federal states are already further along here.
Burmeister emphasized that his candidacy for the SPD state executive does not change the fact that the DGB is politically independent. He appealed to union members to get more involved in politics again. “More trade unionists could become active in the democratic parties.” The DGB in the southwest represents eight individual trade unions and 788,000 members.