Metalheads are bravely starting the 13th training series in Berlin!

Metalheads are bravely starting the 13th training series in Berlin!

IG Metall has launched the 13th edition of its “Young Actives” training series with great momentum, which aims to strengthen and qualify committed members for the challenges of union work. How IG Metall BBS reported, the first joint seminar module took place in the IG Metall transition training center in Berlin-Moabit and was opened by Jan Otto, the head of the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony. Especially in times when companies are struggling with crises and management solutions are often lacking, this training series plays an essential role in shaping the future of the company.

From October 27th to 31st, participants from various companies such as ZF (Brandenburg an der Havel), Elbe Flugzeugwerke (Dresden), VW (Zwickau) and Siemens (Chemnitz) were prepared for important topics. The topics covered in the first week included project management, team development, public speaking techniques and the development of company project ideas. Interesting concepts were presented, such as an information brochure on shop steward work at VW Zwickau, which was initiated by Christian Hölig, Madeleine Taubert and Colin Ullmann.

Commitment of the shop stewards

The concept of shop stewards within IG Metall also plays a crucial role IG Metall Berlin determines. These representatives are actively involved in their company to increase membership and attract employees to the union. At the BMW plant in Berlin, for example, numerous new members were won through targeted outreach days. In an exciting project in November 2022, shop stewards even used warning strikes to turn unorganized employees into IG Metall members.

Although trust bodies are not legally institutionalized, they act as an important pillar in trade union work and provide active support to members. Cindy Fasanya, a shop steward at CARIAD, has been involved in the union since 2020 and was part of the collective bargaining committee that pushed through the first collective agreement in 2023. The newly established committee of trustees meets monthly and ensures that the needs of the members are continually brought to the fore.

Outlook and further modules

The “Young Actives” training series not only offers an introduction, but also perspectives for the future. Jörg Ullrich emphasizes that the content and skills taught are specifically tailored to the participants' situations. In addition, three more two-and-a-half-day modules are planned next year, with the next unit taking place from January 19 to 22, 2026. In this way, the committed members of IG Metall are offered the opportunity to continue their training and to better master the challenges in their companies.

Overall, it can be seen that IG Metall makes an important contribution to strengthening union work with its training series and the commitment of its shop stewards. It remains exciting to see how the participants' ideas and projects can be implemented in companies.