German trade unions organize peace movement against rearmament

German trade union members are organizing a peace movement to oppose military rearmament and promote peace-oriented policies. Following the fourth Trade Union Conference for Peace in Würzburg, organizers are planning a series of mobilizations, including a DGB action day on September 26 and large-scale protests in Berlin and Stuttgart on October 3.

Ulrike Eifler, a representative of IG Metall Würzburg and initiator of the conference, highlights a tension within industrial unions. While the federal board of IG Metall and government officials have discussed expanding the defense industry, the initiative argues that rearmament is linked to attacks on social and democratic rights. The movement notes that this push for military industry expansion coincides with significant deindustrialization, where approximately 15,000 industrial jobs are lost monthly.