Strikes and New Left at a German Shipyard in the 1970s

What is it about?

The article focuses on a German shipyard in the 1970s, when New Left actors went into the factory to renew the trade union movement from within. The activists were involved in a wildcat strike and were able to take seats on the works council. However, the composition of the New Left was very complex. There were disputes among themselves, as well as with the traditional union representatives. When a representative of the union-opposition group was attacked in the parking lot in front of the shipyard, the disparities got out of control. The economic crisis in the shipbuilding industry resulted in the left-wing actors no longer playing a significant role by the end of the 1970s.

Featured Image

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Little is known about the contact between the New Left and the old labor movement in the workplaces during the 1970s. What problems arose? Where did cooperation take place? This article explores these questions for the first time using the case of a German shipyard.