Before the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) Congress starting on Sunday, Frank Werneke, the chief of the service union Verdi, warned the Social Democratic Party (SPD) about social cuts. Speaking to the “Handelsblatt”, he stated that the message from the DGB Congress will be clear: “We will not let a course of social cuts exist, even if it is hidden under some flowery reform debate”. Werneke criticized both employer associations and large sections of the Union for constantly proposing new measures that worsen workers’ rights and encourage social decline. He urged the SPD to resist these trends, warning that if they allowed themselves to be swept away, they would be heading toward a “course of self-destruction”.
Werneke also anticipates intense debates regarding pension reform. He stressed that if the SPD pursues limiting the pension level or raising the retirement age, the situation would become “really tricky”. He mentioned that political demonstrations are quite feasible, noting that participation in this year’s May 1st event was already significantly higher than in the past. Over the coming weeks, Verdi plans to organize further actions related to health care reform.
