DAG, DPG and HBV delegates support foundation of unified service sector union

In November 2000, three of the five German trade unions - DAG, DPG and HBV - seeking to found a Unified Service Sector Union (Ver.di) held extraordinary congresses, at which a great majority of delegates approved the merger. As the IG Medien media union had already voted in favour in September, it is now up to the Public Services, Transport and Traffic Union (ÖTV) to decide whether the merger will take place in March 2001.

In preparation for the establishment of the Unified Service Sector Union (Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft, Ver.di), which had been decided in autumn 1999 (DE9911225F), the leaderships of the five trade unions involved have been seeking support for the final step from their members. On 4-10 November, the congress of the Public Services, Transport and Traffic Union (Gewerkschaft Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr, ÖTV) failed to give sufficient support for the union's participation in the merger (DE0011292F). However, a great majority of the delegates at extraordinary congresses of three of the other unions - the German White-Collar Workers' Union (Deutsche Angestellten Gewerkschaft, DAG), the Postal Workers' Union (Deutsche Postgewerkschaft, DPG) and the Commerce, Banking and Insurance Union (Gewerkschaft Handel, Banken und Versicherungen, HBV) - subsequently voted in favour of the further development of Ver.di. The results of the votes were as follows:

• just under 99% of delegates voted in favour at the DAG congress on 18 November 2000;
• 98.4% of delegates voted in favour at the DPG congress on 19 November; and
• 77.6% of delegates voted in favour at the HBV congress on 20 November.

The votes indicate that these unions' delegates regard the process of setting up Ver.di positively, thereby paving the way for the merger in March 2001, when each union will hold an extraordinary national congress. At these congresses, the liquidation of the individual unions and their merger into Ver.di will require approval by 80% of the vote.

At the earlier extraordinary congress of the Media Union (IG Medien) in September 2000, the delegates voted by an overwhelming majority to support the merger. This decision was confirmed on 21 November when the IG Medien executive board fixed a date for the congress at which the union should be liquidated. Unlike the other unions, IG Medien needs a majority of only 75% of the delegates' votes to approve the merger. Although it was not possible to achieve the necessary majority for merger among the delegates at the recent ÖTV congress, the representatives of all five unions expect the new union to become a reality in March 2001.