Trade Unions as a Bulwark of Democracy in the Fight against Right-Wing Extremism

For over 80 years we have been taking the oath "Never again!". The fulfillment of this pledge is more important today than ever, and here trade unions are important partners.

With the CoViD crisis and the resulting recession, fears grew, and many people's trust in politics diminished. There is a great desire for quick solutions to major current crises. Anti-democratic groups are exploiting this uncertainty and making false promises of security at the expense of democracy, human rights and our welfare state. Their answers may convey a subjective sense of security, but right-wing populist parties and groups have not improved the lives of a single employee so far. On the contrary: Wherever right-wing and far-right parties are in power, workers' rights are being eroded and the welfare state is being dismantled.

We have known all this for a long time. But what can we do to redirect this influx and inspire people to live together democratically and in solidarity again? A simple recipe has not yet been found. There are various levers we need to pull. All measures should aim to strengthen trust in our political system and create confidence that we can all enjoy a good life. Insecurity and fear of decline provide a good breeding ground for right-wing forces. We must offer alternatives, and here the trade unions have a key role to play.

On a daily basis, trade unions fight for the enhancement of social welfare through their involvement in wage negotiations, social insurance institutions and interest groups. This creates a good basis that can strengthen security and trust. This is confirmed by the confidence ratings of the trade union movement, which have remained constant for years.

However, social welfare alone will not stop the rise of right-wing extremism. Democracy and its benefits must be made tangible. One of the most important places for democracy education is the workplace. Although democracy is taught in schools - sometimes better, sometimes worse - many people are unable to participate due to a lack of voting rights. This is not the case in the workplace. Here, everyone can elect their representatives and shape the employee parliament according to their wishes in the Chamber of Labor elections.

In this way, genuine democratic participation becomes tangible at this lowest level. When employees can work together with their colleagues to implement positive changes in a company or defend themselves against injustice, they see that they can make a difference! Precisely this self-image is more important today than ever because it strengthens employee's confidence in their own ability to exert influence. This generates confidence that no "strong man" is needed, but that great things can be achieved collectively.

The trade unions can and must play a leading role in the fight against right-wing extremism, because the commitment to workers' rights is not based on divisive factors such as origin, religion, sexuality or political orientation. In trade union disputes, the only thing that counts is creating a good life for all employees.

We will continue on this path unwaveringly for our members, for employees and for democracy. Free trade unions can exist only in democracies, and strong democracies, a good life for all and a stable social network can exist only with trade unions.