After the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the Verdi union warns against large-scale repatriations of Syrians from Germany. Verdi boss Frank Werneke said in a video interview with the German Press Agency that large repatriations were “against the interests of the people and, incidentally, also against the interests of the world of work, at least in parts in Germany”.
He “strongly recommends that the situation be approached with a cool head,” said the Verdi chairman. “Many are integrated and established in the labor market here and are also important for us.” Syrians worked in the mail order business, in the delivery sector or in care. Many became Verdi members.
What the government should do according to Verdi
Werneke called on the federal government and the European Union to closely monitor the situation in the long-standing civil war country, which is threatened by instability. When forming a transitional government, the ethnic and religious groups would have to be taken into account. “The most democratic conditions possible” must be organized. “This is also essential for the future perspective of the many people who are refugees in Germany.”
From his own conversations in the past few days, he knows different reactions from Syrians in Germany. Werneke emphasized that they were closely monitoring the situation in Syria and were generally very happy about Assad’s fall. “Many are also considering whether and when they will go back to Syria,” he said. But what is important to everyone first is what is actually happening in the country.
Verdi and Syria
The trade unions played an important role in establishing democratic conditions in Syria. “There have been no free trade unions in Syria for many, many decades.” But these were part of a democratic state. “That’s why I see it as our task, together with the international trade union umbrella organizations of which we are members, to build up free trade unions there and perhaps also to establish co-determination.” In Germany, the trade unions are anchored in the Basic Law via the basic right of freedom of association.
In Syria, which has been torn apart by civil war, there is enormous destruction and a sharp decline in production capacity in manufacturing and agriculture. Even before Assad’s fall, costs for goods and services had risen sharply. (dpa)