The new German services industry union ver.di: New directions and new tasks for the unions?

In the third week in March, the fate of ver.di will be decided. With the creation of the services industry union, the opportunity for new impetus to union representation in the services sector and reaction to structural change in the workplace will be created. This is the opinion expressed by Franz Bsirske, chairman of the public-sector employees union ÖTV and designated chairman of the new union, and Roland Issen, chairman of the German employees union DAG. Dr. Werner Sesselmeier, University of Darmstadt, sees the future of the unions in "incorporating new groups of employees".