In Germany, the IG Metall trade union elects a woman as its leader for the first time
Christian Benner, newly elected president of the IG Metall union, during a press conference in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany, on October 23, 2023. ANDRE PAIN / AFP The German industrial union IG Metall has started a new chapter in its history. On Monday, October 23, 55-year-old Christian Benner was… The German industrial union IG Metall has elected Christian Benner as its leader for the first time. The world's largest independent union, with 2.2 million members, has never been led by a woman. This is a major break in an organization that is still masculine, particularly in the automotive industry, which still employs an 80% male workforce. Benner, who joined IG Metall in 1988, is considered one of the most influential women in German capitalism due to co-determination laws that ensure employee representation on 50% of the seats on supervisory boards of large groups. The election also confirms the feminization of German trade union organizations.
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The German industrial union IG Metall has started a new chapter in its history. On Monday, October 23, 55-year-old Christian Benner was elected president at the organization’s congress in Frankfurt, Main. The world’s largest independent union, with 2.2 million members, has never been led by a woman. This is a major break in an organization that is still very masculine, firmly entrenched in the automotive industry, which still has an 80% male workforce.
Observing the applause on Monday morning, the second day of the Congress, there is no doubt that Christian Benner is extremely popular in the Union. 418 delegates approved his candidacy with more than 96% of votes.
As is often the case in Germany, there is a break in continuity: the first female trade union leader in German industry has had time to gain her support domestically. Joining IG Metall in 1988, he went through all the stages of a classic trade union career, from company delegate to vice president of IG Metall at the Frankfurt headquarters, a position he held for eight years.
Thus, Christiane Benner becomes one of the most influential women in German capitalism: thanks to co-determination laws that ensure employee representation on 50% of the seats on the supervisory boards of large groups, IG Metall has financial leverage and important decision-making. in leading companies of the country. It is one of the rare organizations that can still mobilize millions of employees and be an important contact for public authorities.
He realized about gender equality very early
The election also confirms the feminization of German trade union organizations, to which Christian Benner contributed greatly. In the spring of 2022, the DGB (Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund), the federation that oversees the main centers, elected Yasmin Fahim as its leader.
A year earlier, it was the Italian-German Daniela Cavallo who headed the Betriebsrat, the powerful employee representative council, at Volkswagen.
Supervisory boards at industrial heavyweights Siemens and Bosch have also become more feminized in recent years. I want women where the money is distributed, on supervisory boards, on management boards, on employee representative boards, in trade unions. Christian Benner explained the world in the fall of 2022.
Ämnen: Germany, Economy