"More than ever before": Ver.di has had around 100,000 new members since the beginning of the year

Enlarge imagePhoto: Federico Gambarini / picture alliance / dpa

Around 100,000 new members have registered in the Ver.di trade union since January of this year. This is "more than ever before in such a period of time," said Ver.di boss Frank Werneke of the "Welt am Sonntag". There have also been resignations, but the balance is still clearly positive: "The participation in the collective bargaining rounds is greater than it has been for many years".

The Education and Science Union (GEW) also recorded a decent increase. In the first quarter, 6600 entries were registered with 5500 exits, the newspaper reports. According to the report, the trade union for food, beverages and restaurants (NGG) reports "significant growth".

High inflation

NGG chairman Guido Zeitler sees the reason in high inflation and the resulting economic pressure. "People's wallets are on fire, they can't wait to put on their strike vests," he said.

According to the report, IG Metall and IG Bau are also currently recording a positive balance. "The additions are remarkable, but the question remains as to how sustainable the development is," said Hagen Lesch of the German Economic Institute (IW), commenting on the figures.

RAI/DPA