In Germany, openly right-wing colleagues have always been present at the shop floor. For some years now, however, their influence has been steadily growing. They are increasingly influencing the atmosphere in the workplace and forcing their way into works council structures. The ‘Zentrum’ association in particular is present as an arm of the AfD in some companies in the automotive industry and wants to extend its influence to other sectors.

We spoke to five colleagues to find out the extent of the problem, how they are organising against the right-wing in the workplace, how the rise of the far-right can be explained and how it can be stopped.

‘We have industrial companies where people work three or four shifts, at weekends, just above the minimum wage. And anyone who has ever worked a four-shift system knows what that means. And they know, we won't last until we retire. And we don't earn enough to go out. And they ask themselves, what am I working for, what am I paying into the pension scheme for? And they know: at some point I'll be sorted out of the company because I can't do it anymore, I'll get a kick and that'll be it, thank you! And that's just the kind of bitterness that's there and that's where we as a trade union can start to change conditions by fighting for better working and wage conditions, where we manage to move a lot in individual companies in the East, where there is a great deal of discontent that also translates into activity. We can initiate a lot in the companies, but we will reach certain limits if we don't also manage to change course socially. It is not enough for the trade unions to limit themselves purely to the workplace struggle; they also need to take a much more political stance and act and provide alternative political answers. That would actually be the task of the left, to prepare the ground for this and to do it. That is the necessity that I see and where I realise that there is a great need for action.’ (Olaf Klenke, NGG East - from the video)