German Unions Protest Austerity but Avoid Taboo of Military Spending

The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and its member unions have called for a protest on September 26 under the slogan 'Save the welfare state with us' (Rette mit uns den Sozialstaat). The demonstration targets the federal government's austerity plans, which the unions argue threaten social security. Frank Werneke, chairman of the Verdi union, urged members to participate in an article in the union publication Publik, criticizing the government's 'axe on social security' and stating that the cuts are not what they consider reforms. However, the unions have conspicuously avoided mentioning the primary cause of the budget shortfall: the skyrocketing expenditures on rearmament and war preparation. This omission is described as systematic, as union protests have followed the same pattern for decades. The protest is set against the backdrop of the coalition government led by Friedrich Merz, which has proposed significant spending cuts. The article, published on the Freitag website, criticizes the unions for their 'cowardly' avoidance of this taboo topic, suggesting that their silence is politically motivated, particularly as the SPD is part of the governing coalition.