German Trade Unions and Decarbonisation: A Transition to Green Growth, A‐Growth or Degrowth?

ABSTRACT While the need for a transformation to tackle climate change is no longer contested, competing visions about the future have taken the front seat in political debates. Previous research on stakeholders in the European Parliament and the German Bundestag identified opposing views relating to green growth, degrowth and post‐growth. In relation to trade unions, these have recently been discussed conceptually to some extent, but empirical work on the topic has hitherto been absent. Drawing on 25 semi‐structured interviews with representatives of Germany's DGB trade unions, we find that, despite their strong support for a green growth narrative and official opposition to post‐growth thought, the majority of interviewees sketched out concrete visions for a just future that in some respects aligns with post‐ or a‐growth positions. In line with post‐growth discourses, trade union officials described an economy that allows for ‘a good life’ and ‘good work’, based on principles of co‐determination, secure and well‐paid jobs ensured by collective bargaining, income, wealth and inheritance tax reform and a stronger, more active role of the state. Findings suggest that despite German labour unions’ shared opposition to the term post‐growth or degrowth, there is significant overlap in terms of concrete goals and policy proposals.