The trade unions in Germany appear to be in the ascendant. An analysis of the results of the German General Social Survey (ALLBUS) shows that the net density rate of trade unions has recently risen to 20.6 per cent, an increase of 2.6 percentage points over its low point in 2006. Moreover, the trade unions have managed to return from the political sidelines onto which they manoeuvred themselves with their opposition to Agenda 2010, a reform programme launched by a Social Democratic / Green coalition government in 2003. However, whether these successes will endure is by no means sure. An analysis of union membership reveals that unionisation of male, full-time and older employees is above average. However, the latest membership growth will only continue if the unions succeed in organising more women, part-timers and young people.
Christoph Schröder IW-Trends No. 3 21. October 2022
The Cost Competitiveness of German Industry in Times of Multiple Crises
In 2021, German unit labour costs were an average of 13 per cent higher than in the 27 countries in our comparison and 8 per cent higher than in other countries in the Eurozone.
Helena Bach / Hagen Lesch / Sandra Vogel IW-Analyse No. 148 31. March 2022
The Legitimacy of Free Collective Bargaining in Germany
Since the signing of the Stinnes-Legien Agreement in 1918, the collective bargaining autonomy of Germany’s employers’ associations and trade unions has been the subject of continual political debate and at times its legitimacy even called into question.
Helena Bach / Hagen Lesch / Sandra Vogel IW
Content element with id 8880 Content element with id 9713
IW-Newsletter
With our new newsletters on the following topics you no longer have an IW publication.
We send out our topic-specific newsletters every month.
Register here
IW-Newsletter
With our new newsletters on the following topics you no longer have an IW publication.
This website uses necessary cookies to ensure the operation of the website. An analysis of user behavior by third parties does not take place. You can find detailed information about the use of cookies in our privacy policy.
German Economic Institute (IW) 
