Fight for the works councils: AfD politician aims at DGB territory

Fight for the works councils: AfD politician aims at DGB territory

Hannover, Deutschland - Jens Keller, a former Verdi trade unionist and current politician of the AfD, opened the “Regional Office Center North-West” in Hanover. This is considered a significant change of strategy because the new organization tries to attack the DGB unions from outside. Keller himself announced that he wanted to halve the number of members of the "old unions", which is considered ambitious among observers. According to haz.de, the "center" has an influence on 100 works councils, which, however is assessed.

In the last federal election, 38 percent of the workers already chose the AfD, which significantly increases the potential of the "center". The upcoming works council elections in 2026 are to be used in a targeted manner to symbolically gain seats in important companies using right -wing lists. The "center" sees the DGB unions as opponents and tries to undermine their legitimacy.

criticism and allegations of the "center"

The organization mainly acts in the automotive industry and has also positioned itself against the ban on internal combustion engines. Members of the "center" rarely show up in the operational public, but take legal action against democratic works councils and existing unions. According to sociologist Klaus Dörre, the “center” is a temporary organization of the AfD that tries to anchor new arguments and ideologies in the companies.

In a further step, the "center" tried to establish itself in the care sector during the Corona crisis, but this was only moderately successful. The roots of the "center", which are anchored in the neo -fascist, violent rights, are worrying; This is contested by members, but causes distrust. So Oliver Hilburger, the chairman of the "center" in Stuttgart, is said to be connected to the neo -Nazi scene.

versatile approach and social response

In order to achieve a wider voter clientele, the "center" also tries to integrate migrant candidates into its ranks while at the same time fueled anti-migrant resentment. Critics point out that the AfD and the "center" represent the integration of migrants as difficult when too many people arrive in Germany.

The employees in the auto industry and in the nursing industry are increasingly concerned about the future. Right -wing populists such as the "center" seem to be specifically against the established IG Metall and Verdi unions. The organization describes itself as a "alternative union" and has published a video on its homepage in which Oliver Hilburger promises to organize people and employees who are willing to take new ground. An essay on the website bears the title "Works Council Provisions-Filz in the System", which underlines the critical attitude towards the traditional unions, such as sueddeutsche.de