I‑ Worker Organizations‑ Political Parties
•Unions and the Social Democratic Party
•Nature of Relationship
–In principle DGB unaffiliated
–Most top SPD officials union members
–Union officials one of the largest occupational groups of SPD Parliamentarians
•Election time, union officials almost completely mobilized for party purposes until 2005
Nature of Relationship
By law unions must be independent of political organizations

In principle DGB unaffiliated
In practice it and  unions have had close ties to the SPD

Most top SPD officials union members
At least nominally at least ¾ of them belong to unions

Union officials one of the largest occupational groups of SPD Parliamentarians
Labor minister in most recent SPD government was IG Metall deputy chair until 1998 election

Election time, union officials almost completely mobilized for party purposes until 2005
March 2004 IGMetall and Vir.Di so unhappy with market based tendencies of SPD government that they propose creating a new party
January 2005 unhappy unionists and left-wing SPD members form new party
Later in 2005 they merge with the Party of Democratic Socialism