Sulit acd A | mccain] GUN AN

labor and the people

By BEN SWANKEY

Even a little enquiry and observation
quickly reveals to any interested visitor
the powerful role that trade unions play
in the German Democratic Republic.
They have a decisive say not only in
wages, hours, conditions of work, safe-
ty and pensions, but also in many mat-
ters as yet completely outside the ac-
cepted role of trade‘unions in Canada
and the United States. These include
active participation in the management
of enterprises, education, housing,
health, and in all levels of government
from city councils right up to the high-
est federal legislative body. And con-
trary to the propaganda stories spread
on this side of the Atlantic, the trade
unions in the G.D.R. are not govern-
ment controlled. They are free, inde-
pendent and democratic organizations,
with an enviously high degree of rank
and file involvement in union affairs.

These are some of the conclusions I
reached after two visits to this bustling
country of 17 million people in the
heart of Europe.

Over 6.6 million workers in the
G.D.R. belong to unions. This is about
95% of all avorking people in the coun-
try. Women comprise 46% of union
membership. Membership is voluntary.
(In Canada and the US. less than one
third of workers belong to unions.)

Unlike Canada and the U.S. where
we have hundreds of different unions,
there are only 15 in the G.D.R.

Eight are industrial — building and
woodworkers; miners; chemical work-
ers; printing and paper workers; trans-
port and communication workers; met-
al workers; textile, clothing and leather
workers;.and Bismuth workers.

The other seven unions are — trade,
food and related products workers; ag-
ricultural and forestry workers; artistic

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in socialist Germany

workers; government and municipal
employees; health workers; teachers
and educational workers; and scientific
workers.

The central body joining these unions
together is the Confederation of Free
German Trade Unions (FDGB). It pub-
lishes a daily paper — Tribune — and
has its own publishing house. The
FDGB is affiliated to the World Federa-
tion of Trade Unions. (The Canadian
Labor Congress is affiliated with the
International Confederation of Free

Trade Unions, as was the AFL-CIO until
dast year.)

‘he trade unions in the G.D.R. have
shop stewards as have our unions. All
officials are elected and subject to re-
call. Women and youth are elected to.
all leading bodies in proportion to their
numbers in the enterprise. On a nation-
al scale this has averaged out to 44%
of all trade union officers being women
and 17% youth. Union dues vary but
average out to 1.25% of income; 50%
of all-union dues stay in the local.

GUARANTEES LABOR’S RIGHTS

The legal and political position of
workers in the G.D.R. is secured in
both the constitution of the republic
and in the Labor Code, which em-
bodies the country’s labor laws.

The G.D.R. is a socialist country
which means that the basic industries
are publicly owned. Political power
rests in the hands of the working class
in partnership. with the farmers, intel-
ligentsia and other sections of the po-
pulation.

The constitution of the G.D.R. defines
it as a socialist state of the “working
people in town and countryside who
are jointly implementing socialism un-
der the leadership of the working class.
It states further that “all power in the
G.D.R. is exercised by the working

The new Brandenburg Stee! and Rolling Mill, built following the total des-
truction of the old plant during World War Two, today has a production level 250

percent higher than the former mill,

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1970—PAGE 4

A

people” and that “the exploitation of
man by man has been abolished for-
ever. What the hand of man has
wrought belongs to the people.”

Private ownership is limited to rela-
tively small operations and many of
these are jointly operated with the
state. Of the Gross National Product
6% is produced by private concerns,
7.2% by semi-state owned, 14.3% by
cooperative enterprises (mainly coop-
erative farms), and the balance of
72.2% by publicly owned industries.
Almost all farmers. belong to coopera-
tive farms.

A special section of the Constitution
of the G.D.R. (Chapter 3, Articles 44-
45) lays out the Rights of Trade Unions.
It states that the trade unions are in-
dependent organizations and affirms
that “nobody may limit or obstruct
their activities.” Unions have the right
to conclude agreements” on all ques-
tions concerning the working and living
conditions of the working people.”
They have the right to play a “deter-
mining role in the planning and man-
agement of the national economy” and
in the “scientific and technological re-
volution.” Trade unions administer the
country’s social insurance system.

LABOR CODE
Labor’s rights are further elaborated
in the “Labor Code of the G.D.R.” It
is a unique document in many respects.
It provides:

e The right to a job. Unemployment
is non-existent in the G.D.R. A whole
generation has grown up since the

_founding+of the G.D.R. in 1949 which

does not know what it means to be
without a job. The country’s thriving
economy is actually short of labor, so
workers are in an advantageous posi-
tion in their opportunity to select a job
to their liking.

e The right to full participation in
management. This includes decisions
on production plans, new technology,
even markets for the goods and serv-
ices produced in the place of work. All
managers in state owned factories and
plants are accountable to the trade
unions in their enterprise for their ac-

tions.

e Equal pay for equal work applies
in every ipdustry. Old age pensioners
may continue work on a full time or
part time basis without any reduction
in pensions. Overtime, work is prohibit-

Steelworkers moving 10 ton segments into place during th

Berlin’s new television tower which stands 216 meters above the city square.

pension of 150 marks ($32.50); oti

: hie 3

e building o

; be
ed as a general rule and can One

implemented with union consen™
time is paid for at the rate of tim ©
a quarter, with double time on ee i
legal holidays. A 10% different is
paid for night work; 90% of wag wo
paid in case of a temporary shut do

e The work week is 42 hour says}
workers receive a minimum of 15 7,
holidays with pay (three weeks):
can go as high as 24 paid days. ret
60% now get 18 days with pay
and a half weeks.) Collective aa
ments are usually national in s¢
with special provisions for regions
locals as required,

e No worker may be transferred wl
a job with lower pay. No one ca? sail
forced to stay at a job against his ith
Dismissals may take place only 3"
the local union’s agreement. ( ;
ceptions to this are only for very § aft
ous violations; instant dismissals eed
very rare.) All workers are guaran
jobs and so there are no layoffs w fi
automation or other technologic@
vances are introduced.

er com

e Safety enforcement is und
plete union control.

e Every worker may increase i
education, and with it his pay, bY ries
ing vocational training. Often facto™,
send workers for special training
which case they get full wages w
attending school.

e The whole comprehensive soci
insurance system is administer
trade unions. Workers pay a 102 4
to finance social insurance UP phe
maximum of 60 marks ($15.00): ne’
enterprise pays ar ‘qual amount. Oo
fits under the social insurance S¢
include: old age pensions for me?
65 and women at 60 with the min

sick pay of from 26 to 39 weeks: 34,
dent compensation of from 66 2/37 ith
80%; 14 weeks maternity benefits

full pay. All hospital, doctor and oe.
care are provided free — so are 7,
scriptions, Monthly family allowah og
are provided according to the nun
of children. Lump sum birth grants
also paid.

e The establishment of pispu
Commissions. These are union apPorrar
ed committees whose role extends nd
beyond the settling of disputes ug?
grievances arising on the job, altho