Since the middle of the 70's workers' representatives from mainly the chemical industry have been meeting on a national level (in Germany) to exchange experiences and information about shop-floor, union and socio-political issues. At the time we had in common the criticism about the union policy: the strategy on wages ("lautlose Tarifpolitik" - which sought not to provoke the employers with offensive demands and negotiations), the increasing concessions to employers and government and the painful lack of democracy within the organisation.

Since this time the criticised trade union course has even become stronger and finds its expression in the so-called "location policy" (Standortpolitik, localised thinking), the subordination of workers' interests under the dictate of international competitiveness in the interest of the German economy. The result is the enormous redistribution of wealth from bottom up, as well as a world-wide pressure to undercut other's labour and social standards in the context of the so-called globalisation, which in particular goes at the expense of the brothers and sisters (comrades) in less developed countries. Basic union principles, as there are resistance (fight back) and international solidarity were basically given up. In compliance with the requirements of lean production and lean state, the competitive thinking is spreading, from the shop-floor level to the whole society, and leads to the exclusion of more and more people in the form of unemployment and poverty, without the trade unions doing anything about it. The state of the inner organisational democracy has not changed to the better.

The unifying element between the participants of the ChemieKreis is, above all, that we believe that there is a fundamental contradiction between the interests of the employers and those of the workers, and that trade unions at any rate are to be an independent and strong organisation of workers (whether employed or not). With our refusal of the idea of social partnership ("Sozialpartnerschaft"), we are in contrast to the present policy of the trade unions, in particular IG BCE (mining, chemistry and energy union) and DAG. (Union for white collar workers)

Some of us were expelled during the disputes over the direction of the union and shop-floor activities. We see ourselves as an active part of the labour movement, with a basically positive attitude towards trade union organisation. Social democracy in our view goes beyond voting every couple of years.

Since 1991 also brothers and sisters (comrades) from East Germany joint, who have in particular been affected by the radical social changes in Germany. In addition we are connected with like-minded comrades in other industrial sectors.

Besides of the experience and information exchange throughout Germany, the ChemieKreis maintains contacts with comrades mainly from chemical companies and NGOs in other countries. This type of "basis contacts", in our view actually should be welcomed and promoted by trade unions. In reality, that the union leadership meets such contacts on grass-roots level with disapproval and distrust. We therefore decided to take in our own hands what we believe is necessary, to maintain contacts without political or bureaucratic control from above. In this context we also stand for a change of the unfair world economy relations.

The perhaps undemanding name "ChemieKreis" expresses that we neither intend to be a political party, nor a replacement for a union organisation. Nevertheless we do not want to waive pursuing our goals in a collective and democratic debate. In this the ChemieKreis serves us.

Participants in the 'ChemieKreis'.

Contact:

+49  0202-2 74-15 -74, -76 (Tel.)

+49 0202-2 74-15 75 (Fax)

Chemiekreis

Freyastr.47 

42117 Wuppertal