Christian, you've known IG Metall Berlin since April 2023. How did you join IG Metall?

As a student I was a Verdi member for years. I'm a sociologist by training and have spent a lot of time studying sociology of work in recent years. This has brought me even closer to trade unions. As a trade unionist, it is important to me to also shape society politically. This stems from history and is perhaps more necessary now than ever. When the opportunity arose to join IG Metall Berlin with public relations work, I didn't hesitate. I work here with enthusiasm in a great team and with really good working conditions.

Now you've switched to the digital team. How did that come about?

Right from the start, I worked a lot with Daniel Gamer, who did a lot of work on the digital economy in the office and helped prepare the current project. Last year, for example, there was a study on communication behavior in the digital economy, which I also assisted with. So I was close to the companies in the digital economy right from the start.

In recent years, I have also done a lot of research as a sociologist on digitalization in the context of work and capitalism. When the project to develop and organize the digital economy really took off in May, I was happy to join the digital team.

What do you find exciting about the project?

In this supposedly new world of work, we also face familiar problems such as non-transparent pay, dissatisfaction with working hours and arbitrary management. The classic trade union responses are therefore still the right ones: solidarity, unity and organization in order to assert the interests of employees in the face of conflicting interests. However, we often have to bring this closer to people - especially because some employees have a completely different understanding of trade unions from their origin countries. We work with new tools and digital approach concepts, and we also try out new cultural ways of doing things. Trade union work is being updated in our practice and made future-proof. That's where I find myself, and it fascinates me. And as a industrial sociologist and sociologist of work, I can learn a lot in practice, but also apply my knowledge.

What did you do professionally before joining IG Metall?

I mainly worked academically on my doctorate on the digitalization discourse in the context of “Industrie 4.0” and wrote as a freelance journalist. I've also always been deeply involved in movements and politics and think it's great to be able to work in this direction professionally.

What do you focus on in the digital team?

I wear the communication hat in the digital team. I manage social media channels and make sure that there is English-language content on our homepage. I also support my colleagues in the whole team with unionist campaigns at the companies. At MBition, I am close to the company processes with Jan Brauburger and Sabrina Lamers. For example, I gave an input in woco communication strategies in a BR1 training.
In the first few months of 2025, however, I will be finishing my PhD thesis. And I'm already applying for the IG Metall trainee program in the fall so that I can be fully trained as a union secretary. I hope that I will then be able to return.

What builds you up? Where and how do you recharge your batteries?

Playing and spending time with my four-year-old son always helps me get away from it all and reliably takes my mind off things. Otherwise, I switch off with a good novel in the hammock and I have a keen interest in music and cultivate my record collection. I ride my bike a lot, go skateboarding or bouldering.