FAQ

Threatening to close and leave is the most common anti-union tactic that companies use to intimidate employees. The question is, how solid are these threats? To understand why there is no merit to such claims, we have to wonder why companies come to Berlin in the first place. As long as companies are making a profit, they will not leave, because they have access to educated and highly skilled labour – the labour that is up to date with the world trends, speaks a variety of foreign languages and is relatively cheap. The purpose of the union is not to drive the company away, nor to push for its downfall, but rather to gain good and fair working conditions for workers. It is important to note that, while there had been cases of sudden closings of companies or sites, there were mostly not many organized workers in them.

It is better for everyone when workers negotiate collectively. This image of unions as something exclusively reserved for low-paid jobs is created by companies who want their workers to think that they wouldn’t benefit from unionizing.
The truth, however, could not be more different. Take, for example, American actors and actresses. They are among the highest paid workers in the world, and nevertheless they are members of a union (SAG-AFTRA) and regularly negotiate collective agreements, advocate for their rights and protest. Professional footballers are also some of the most heavily unionized workers in the world. Why? Because they know that collective bargaining results in better wages and working conditions, and a much easier way to reach those goals. If they can, so can we.

Simply put, a union is the workers themselves. A union is a democratic organization of workers who want to assert their rights within a company, within an industry, or on a national level.
Germany has several national-level unions (Gewerkschaft in German) who unite workers from various industries and companies. In addition, workers at each company have a right to set up a representation body within their company (also known as a works council, or Betriebsrat in German), representing the workers of that specific company.

On the contrary, unionizing allows workers to negotiate with management as equals, and discuss problems when they arise. Without unions, workers’ lives are more unstable and uncertain, because they have to deal with problems on their own, including non-transparency, favouritism and economic insecurity. Unionizing has a beneficial effect on the workplace, and enables more harmonious ways of communication.

Countless studies show that unions actually reduce employee turnover and increase efficiency. Some companies, however, want to keep this myth alive by illegally threatening employees who are trying to unionize, saying that the company will go out of business. The truth is that companies fail because of economic reasons – in fact, most companies that close are not unionized.

Trade unions are non-profit organizations. Membership fees pay for the running costs to ensure the continued functioning of the union. What is more, the potential gains from unionizing – higher wages, better benefits, and fair, equal treatment – far outweigh any membership fees at the end of the day.
Most of the fees paid by ver.di members are stored in a fund that pays members’ salaries when they go on strike.

When a leader betrays their own membership, the consequences are devastating, no matter if it happens at a union, a for-profit company, a state organization or a political party. Of course, you never read about the hundreds of ordinary, honest officials just doing their job, because that’s not deemed newsworthy. But ask yourself: if someone wants to abuse their power for illegal gains, would their first choice of work be at a trade union or a more lucrative sector?

In most countries, union membership numbers are stable. At the same time, the number of workers entering the labour market is increasing, which reduces the overall percentage of union members. The lower the rates of union membership are, the lower the wages and the levels of job security get in a country. For example, in the United States, only about 8% of workers are union members, while in countries like Sweden, Belgium and Iceland, two thirds of employees are union members.

Not a single employer can obtain or solicit information about whether or not you are a member of a union. The right to unionize is guaranteed and protected in the German constitution and international legislation.
This myth arose from decades of anti-union campaigns, and it’s only an attempt to spread fear of unions. If something like this were true, unions would have almost disappeared by now – when in fact unions are growing stronger in modern tech companies around the world.

Going on strike is a last resort, a tool to be used only when all other ways of negotiating are exhausted. The goal of unions is never a strike at all costs, but to negotiate a collective agreement that is in the best interest of all workers. At ver.di, workers decide by democratic vote whether they want to go on strike or not.