Congress of Federal Trade Unions

The Congress of Federal Trade Unions (German: Kongress der Bundesgewerkschaften, KdBG) is an annual meeting of federal-level trade unions in the Free Socialist Republic of Germany. Each trade union presents 10 delegates, and the delegates collectively draft demands, suggestions and goals to be presented to the federal legislature. The congress always begins on May 1st, and usually lasts until May 3rd, although it has been extended for an additional day twice since the meeting process was established in 1922. The meeting is considered to be a very important event within Germany, and the press actively reports on the process of each day.
=== Trade Unions ===
Germany has a unique system of trade unionism that begins in the workplaces. Local workers from each general occupation elect delegates to a regional trade union that specializes in said occupation. The regional trade unions are affiliated with a federal nationwide trade union, to which they elect delegates. The federal and regional trade unions represent their workers on their respective administrative level on a year round basis, and play an influential but separate part in the electoral system. All trade unions are legally independent from the political parties, although delegates can and often do belong to political parties. The Congress of Federal Trade Unions serves as an annual opportunity for all the trade unions to collectively voice common goals.
There are currently fifteen national trade unions. All participate in the Congress of Federal Trade Unions. Many unions group together related occupations.
* Industrial Union of Metalworkers (Industriegewerkschaft Metall)
* Industrial Union of Construction and Wood Workers (Industriegewerkschaft Bau-Holz)
* Industrial Union of Mining and Energy Workers (Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau-Energie)
* Industrial Union of Chemical, Glass and Ceramic Workers (Industriegewerkschaft Chemie, Glas und Keramik)
* Industrial Union of Printing and Paper Workers (Industriegewerkschaft Druck und Papier)
* Industrial Union of Transport and Communication Workers (Industriegewerkschaft Transport und Nachrichtenwesen)
* Industrial Union of Textile, Clothing and Leather Workers (Industriegewerkschaft Textil-Bekleidung-Leder)
* Union of Agriculture, Foodstuff and Forestry Workers (Gewerkschaft Land, Nahrungsgüter und Forst)
* Union of Teaching and Education Workers (Gewerkschaft Unterricht und Erziehung)
* Union of Food and Entertainment Workers (Gewerkschaft Nahrung und Genuss)
* Union of Art and Literature Workers (Gewerkschaft Kunst und Schrifttum)
* Union of Science Workers (Gewerkschaft Wissenschaft)
* Union of Healthcare Workers (Gewerkschaft Gesundheitswesen)
* Union of State and Communal Workers (Gewerkschaft der Mitarbeiter der Staatsorgane und der Kommunalwirtschaft)
* Union of People's Army Workers (Gewerkschaft Volksarmee)
Category:Trade unions