New DGB district association calls for class struggle in the basement

Created: 05/03/2022, 12:00 p.m

By: Peter Herrmann

Demands in ambush: DGB state chairman Bernhard Stiedl spoke out in Gelting on Saturday for an increase in the minimum wage and a billion-euro support program for nursing staff.

© Hans Lippert

The new DGB district association has formulated its demands against abuses.

On Labor Day they met in the basement - in the Kulturbühne Ambush.

Gelting – The new district association of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) was recently founded (we reported).

At a rally evening on Saturday in the Kulturbühne Ambush, accompanied by musical contributions, the members took a stance on health policy, rents, minimum wage and war.

"In these turbulent times it is important that we organize ourselves and have a local presence," explained Raimund Novak.

The DGB district association chairman pointed out that above all the employees and the nursing staff keep the functionality of a society alive.

Criticism of some government decisions is all the more necessary.

Why aren't goals proclaimed on the street?

As a guest speaker, Novak first welcomed the Mayor of Geretsried, Michael Müller, who congratulated the DGB district association on the new foundation.

"Even if we don't always agree, we need political discourse with the trade unions," the trained economist clarified.

There are definitely common goals when it comes to creating social housing and expanding local public transport.

However, Müller also wondered why the approximately 35 DGB supporters met in a cellar on Labor Day instead of proclaiming their goals on the street, as was customary in the past.

Angelica Dullinger, SPD member in Kochel, does not rule that out.

"If you're angry, you have to take to the streets," she appealed to her like-minded people.

Bernhard Stiedl, the new state chairman of the DGB Bavaria, even called for class warfare in his speech afterwards.

"The class struggle is not over because the differences between rich and poor are not over either," he declared.

He then called on the government to launch a $100 billion support program for nurses.

(Our Wolfratshausen-Geretsried newsletter keeps you regularly informed about all the important stories from your region. Register here.)

 New DGB district association formulates demands against abuses 

Statements of solidarity with the people of Ukraine and a condemnation of Russia's war of aggression followed.

The musical contributions of the duo “Zeitreise” matched this.

The Wolfratshausen couple Nicoline Pfeiffer and Hans Gärtner sang peace songs and militant work songs.

Almost all of the guests got up from their seats and sang along loudly with “Brüder, zur Sonne, zur Freiheit”.

The Geretsried singer-songwriter Willi Sommerwerk liked it so much that he performed a few more songs from his large repertoire of self-written songs and cover versions that evening.

The 73-year-old also delighted the DGBers with ironic lines of text about the revolution, which could not take place "on Tuesday at ten o'clock" for a variety of reasons.

Hostess Assunta Tammelleo, whose Italian father was also active in the union, finally asked Sommerwerk for an interpretation of her favorite Hannes Wader song "Today here, tomorrow there".

A suitable final motto for the goals of the new DGB district association, which wants to articulate its goals in many places.  

Peter Herrmann

Read the latest news from Geretsried here.