Hey guys! Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves? Why did you choose to work for IG Metall Berlin?
 
Freddy studied history in Potsdam and Berlin, and Özge completed her apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at a company here in Berlin. During our studies, we were both active members of IG Metall for many years, participating in various youth committees. Thanks to our volunteering with the union over the years, we have been empowered to become trainers and deliver our own workshops and seminars – and now here we are!
 

Can you describe Gen Z workers in three words?
 

Unique, but underpaid and underestimated.

What is your impression of the needs and interests of working students today?
 

Working students want security and visibility. That's why it's important to guarantee them a decent standard of living, which is only possible if they earn a suitable salary. Costs are also rising for young people. They move out of their parents' homes and into cities where rent is expensive. They also have to take on second jobs and study on top of that. Compared to apprentices, they take on more responsibility in work projects, but in return they receive no appropriate salary, even though there are legally binding regulations. Employers simply hand out different contracts. Fair pay for working students is therefore an important point. This year, we will fight for this in many companies!
 

And what about the apprentices? How do you work with them?

We have youth committees where we can exchange ideas with lots of young people from various companies. We also enjoy visiting companies to see the situation on the ground and talk to young people. We support, promote and strengthen their representation, and we offer free seminars on political education — for example, on social rights for all young people.

What can you and trade unionism do for working students and apprentices?
 

Together with our colleagues, we promote equality and fairness in the workplace. We want to establish and improve collective agreements from which working students benefit directly. In concrete terms, this often means more money and more vacation days for them. We also want to make apprenticeships more attractive and improve their quality. All of this can only be achieved if you get involved and participate in IG Metall.