Oliver
Burkhard, head of Germany’s IG Metall (IGM) trade union, will soon be taking
over as head of personnel at the multination Thyssen Krupp. His annual income
will rise to €2 million, or more than €160,000 a month, according to the World Socialist Website.
Many have
accused Burkhard of being a turncoat. However, his new job is really only a
change in title. Union bosses maintain a unique and opaque position in the
economy, serving as the enforcers of capital by pushing their members to toe
the line, accept concessions and avoid work stoppages at all costs, while at
the same time portraying themselves as advocates for workers.
When the
bosses want to cut the workforce or impose wage and benefits cuts, they cry
poverty, insist that factory closings and outsourcing are inevitable without
union concessions, and the union bosses rush off to convince their members that
the end is nigh, and a few “small” concessions now will save the majority of
their jobs.
It is true
that the union bosses sometimes criticize the corporate bosses or complain
about their treatment of the workers, but this is just part the tacit agreement
between labor and management. The unions are permitted to complain and even
make occasional threats so as to appear like advocates for the workers, an
image that is necessary for their success as agents of the employers, so long
as there aren’t any serious disruptions to production and profits.
This is true
not just in Germany, but everywhere. One recent example was the occupation of
the Wisconsin State House, in which the unions not only refused to support a
General Strike or even protracted sickouts, but actively worked to get everyone
back to work, promising an electoral fight that was completely ineffectual.
In Germany,
it is not uncommon for union bosses to become personnel managers. In fact,
personnel managers must be approved by the employees in charade that merely
gives the impression that the workers have some say in their working
conditions. While they get to vote for this “representative” in management,
they do not get to vote on how they will be managed. They cannot vote to take
over management of the industry themselves. They do not have the right to fire
the bosses, do away with wages or end their exploitation.
While the
pay is considerably higher than when he was a mere union boss, it will also be
tougher for Burkhard to maintain the illusion that he is an advocate for the
workers, as he will be expected to slash jobs and wages to help Thyssen Krupp
recoup some of the €5 billion they lost last year. This should not be too
difficult for Burkhard, however, as he brokered a deal with Opel in 2009 that
forced wage cuts on its employees.
