# Was die Politik von den Gewerkschaften lernen kann – Interview mit Hans-Jürgen Urban

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/jacobin-podcast-6754014/was-die-politik-von-den-gewerkschaften-lernen-kann-interview-mit-hans-j-rgen-urban
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/jacobin-podcast-6754014/was-die-politik-von-den-gewerkschaften-lernen-kann-interview-mit-hans-j-rgen-urban.md
Podcast: [JACOBIN Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/jacobin-podcast-6754014)
Published: 2026-05-09T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://jacobinpodcast.podigee.io/751-was-die-politik-von-den-gewerkschaften-lernen-kann-interview-mit-hans-jurgen-urban
Audio file: https://audio.podigee-cdn.net/2483133-m-bef9388ea0dc3a3d24cacd57790aa91e.mp3?source=feed
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/jacobin-podcast-6754014/episodes/was-die-politik-von-den-gewerkschaften-lernen-kann-interview-mit-hans-j-rgen-urban
Duration seconds: 1188

## Resource

IG Metall board member Hans-Jürgen Urban argues that political parties are losing the trust of the working class while unions remain vital anchors of stability. He proposes that a successful green transformation requires state intervention and economic democracy to prevent private profits from absorbing public subsidies.

## Highlights
- Main idea: Unions serve as essential guardians of living standards during economic crises, maintaining more credibility among workers than political parties
- Failure mode: Using public funds to subsidize green transitions without strict conditions risks a 'distribution disaster' where subsidies merely inflate corporate profits and dividends
- Practical takeaway: A successful ecological transformation requires state-led industrial policy to bridge the profitability gap between fossil fuels and green alternatives
- Main idea: Economic democracy through expanded works council powers and cross-company participation is necessary to manage modern industrial shifts
- Failure mode: Political parties that fail to provide tangible solutions to economic crises risk losing their relevance to reactionary, right-wing movements

## Topics

Labor Unions, Economic Democracy, Green Transformation, Industrial Policy, Class Politics, IG Metall, Economic Crisis, Decarbonization

## Chapters
- 1:00 — Unions as Guardians of Living Standards: Analysis of recent works council elections and why workers still trust unions over political parties.
- 2:30 — Countering Right-Wing Narratives: How shared workplace experiences act as a defense against racial polarization and right-wing populism.
- 6:40 — The Need for Economic Democracy: Arguments for limiting shareholder power through increased worker participation and political oversight.
- 8:10 — Navigating the Green Transformation: The necessity of state intervention to support industries like green steel and e-mobility during the transition.
- 11:00 — Risks of Public Subsidies: Ensuring public investments in decarbonization benefit society rather than just corporate executives.
- 15:20 — Protecting Wages and Jobs: The dual role of unions in resisting job cuts and securing fair wages through collective bargaining.
- 18:10 — The Future of Class Politics: Reimagining left-wing politics by uniting the working class through ecological and social solidarity.

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## Transcript

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