Trade Unions (Germany)

Gewerkschaftsflaggen

Last modified: 2002-05-18 by santiago dotor
Keywords: trade union | ig metall | industriegewerkschaft metall | ötv | gewerkschaft öffentliche dienste | transport und verkehr | hbv | gewerkschaft handel | banken und versicherungen | triangle (yellow) | letters: 3 |
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• Introduction
• IG Metall (Metal Industrial Union / Industriegewerkschaft Metall)
• ÖTV (Public Services, Transport and Traffic Union / Gewerkschaft Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr)
• HBV (Trade, Banks and Insurances Union / Gewerkschaft Handel, Banken und Versicherungen)

See also:

• Political Parties (Germany)
• Germany

All of the flags used by German trade unions have logos. Probably most or all the flags simply contain the logo (perhaps with the name of the union) on a bedsheet. Some of them are seen more frequently during demonstrations or strikes, others are rarely seen. Unfortunately I have no information when were these flags adopted or started to be used. I just have some photos and I drew the GIFs after them.

Marcus Schmöger, 31 March 2001

Metal Industrial Union / Industriegewerkschaft Metall

by Marcus Schmöger

This is the largest single union in Germany, comprising workers from e.g. the car industry. The flag is red with the logo in black and yellow and the name of the union beneath. Due to the size of the union this flag is rather frequently seen in public.

Marcus Schmöger, 31 March 2001

Public Services, Transport and Traffic Union / Gewerkschaft Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr

by Marcus Schmöger

This has been another large and powerful union, comprising people working in public service. This is one of the five unions that agreed two weeks ago to merge to the new big union 'ver.di' (Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft or United Service Union). The flag has been simply red with white letters 'ötv'.

Marcus Schmöger, 31 March 2001

Flag variant as seen on television

by Jaume Ollé

I do not know if this flag was used (the ÖTV merged with others to form the new ver.di union last year). Flags of unions usually use the logo, but there are a lot of variants, so I think it is probable that a flag like that was used.

Marcus Schmöger, 15 May 2002

Trade, Banks and Insurances Union / Gewerkschaft Handel, Banken und Versicherungen

by Marcus Schmöger

This is one of the smaller unions merging into the new 'ver.di' (Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft or United Service Union). It organises people working in banks, insurances and the like. Actually I have not seen the flag in public, but upon request I got one sample of the flag for free last week. It is white with the logo and the writing 'Gewerkschaft HBV'.

Marcus Schmöger, 31 March 2001