Martin Gross resigns: Verdi faces new challenges!

Martin Gross resigns: Verdi faces new challenges!

Martin Gross, the long-time state chairman of Verdi, will step down on July 5, 2023 after nine years in office. Gross explains that he will initially plan a two-week vacation before handing over the helm to his successor Maike Schollenberger and supporting her in her new position. He will officially leave office on November 1, 2023. Looking back, he expresses concern about the current political situation in Germany and the challenges to democracy that worry him. [State Gazette] reports that Gross has seen positive changes during his time in office, including improving communication within the union and establishing a service center.

However, there are also setbacks to report. Gross recognizes that there have been failed works council formations and company closures. Another issue close to his heart is the service industry, which could potentially benefit from industrial losses. Still, he notes that this transition is a major challenge for many workers. To make it easier to get started in the field of education, a program called “Quereinstieg Kita” was developed, which has had 1,800 participants in the last two years.

Membership development and challenges

Another key point in Gross' review is the decline in Verdi's membership, which has fallen from 2.8 million to 1.9 million since 2001. Despite these declines, Gross does not see the union as a dying organization. A growth impulse is particularly noticeable in the areas of health, care and social affairs, as almost 10,000 new members joined in Baden-Württemberg this year alone.

At the federal level, Verdi's negotiating position is tense given tensions with the Civil Service Association, particularly regarding support for low-income earners. Gross is calling for an increase in sales tax for municipalities and a wealth tax to improve their financial situation. He emphasizes the need for a social focus in politics, but is clear in his rejection of the AfD.

Strike movements and collective bargaining policy successes

In 2023, over 303,000 Verdi members took part in 140 industrial actions, with strikes taking place a total of 1.2 million times. [Verdi] reports that there was not a week without a strike and some of these strikes lasted up to 152 days. The mega-strike day on March 27, 2023, on which 19 different strikes were carried out at the same time, was particularly noticeable. The trade department and public and private services were particularly affected by these strikes.

Verdi's collective bargaining system has proven to be successful because members were able to achieve wage increases in collective bargaining rounds that benefit over ten million people. A notable result was the reduction in working hours for 700 employees of the Thuringian Forest Clinics Eisenberg, who can now work 35 hours per week with full wage compensation.

Verdi's strike fund plays a crucial role in enforcing these demands. However, it is emphasized that no information about the volume of the strike fund will be disclosed in order to avoid drawing conclusions from employers. Since 2022, billing for strike support has also been possible digitally via the member portal “meine ver.di”. These further developments are consistently positive for the members and show how important solidarity support within the union is.

Martin Gross can look back on an eventful term in office and leaves many challenges for his successor. His many years of experience, which he has been collecting since 1984 and which led him to taking over the national chairmanship of Verdi in 2016, will be enormously important in the times to come. Maike Schollenberger, who is 35 years old and has been acting as deputy for two years, is now faced with the task of taking on these challenges and leading the union into a new era.