Working Group for Labour

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit (AfA), known until 2022 as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeitnehmerfragen, is the largest and most member-rich working group within the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). It was founded in 1973 on the initiative of Herbert Wehner, then chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, to give employee interests a sharper profile within the party and to continue the work of the SPD's company groups, which date back to 1920. Wehner famously described the AfA as a "vital organ of the SPD, at the same time eye, ear and heart chamber of the party." The AfA sees itself as a "hinge" between the trade unions and the SPD, and it is particularly close to the unions. Its members include politically interested employees, active trade unionists, works and staff council members, youth and apprentice representatives, union confidants, and representatives of social policy interest organizations, as well as non-SPD members. The AfA's main goals are work and social justice: reducing mass unemployment, creating new, innovative, socially secure and environmentally compatible jobs and training places, maintaining dismissal protection, solidarity-financed social systems, securing initial vocational training, safeguarding collective bargaining autonomy, introducing minimum wages, preventing wage dumping, stopping illegal employment, rapidly equalizing living conditions in East and West, and a Europe for employees. The organization is structured into district associations (or sub-districts), state associations, and a federal association, with some groups organized by company or industry, such as at Post and Bahn, in the chemical and metal industries, or in the service sector. According to the SPD statute, delegate conferences with board elections are held every two years. The most recent regular federal conference took place from 4 to 5 May 2024 in Berlin. The chair of the federal board elected at the 2024 federal conference is Cansel Kiziltepe; her deputies are Ronja Endres, Michael Jung, Erik von Malottki, and Matthias Diesterheft. Klaus Barthel is an honorary member, as was Rudolf Dreßler until his death. The AfA is active in many cities and municipalities within the SPD, and local contacts can be found through local SPD offices or through the listed state and district chairs.

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit (AfA) was founded in 1973 on the initiative of Herbert Wehner, then chairman of the SPD parliamentary group. Its original name was Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeitnehmerfragen (Working Group for Employee Affairs). The founding aimed to give employee interests a sharper profile within the SPD as a large people's party and to continue the work of the SPD's company groups, which had existed since 1920 with their company newspapers and company confidants. Wehner described the AfA as a "vital organ of the SPD, at the same time eye, ear and heart chamber of the party." The establishment of the AfA was also intended to create a counterweight to the left-wing Jusos, who were heavily engaged with socialist theory. Over time, the AfA itself came to be part of the left wing of the party and is particularly close to the trade unions. It sees itself as a "hinge" between the trade unions and the SPD and seeks to assert its positions through discussions within and outside the party. The AfA's federal chairs have been: Helmut Rohde (1973–1984), Rudolf Dreßler (1984–2000), Ottmar Schreiner (2000–2012), Klaus Barthel (2012–2022), and Cansel Kiziltepe (since 2022). In 2022, the organization was renamed from Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeitnehmerfragen to Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit. The most recent regular federal conference took place from 4 to 5 May 2024 in Berlin, where Cansel Kiziltepe was elected federal chair, with deputies Ronja Endres, Michael Jung, Erik von Malottki, and Matthias Diesterheft. Klaus Barthel is an honorary member, as was Rudolf Dreßler until his death. The AfA is organized into district associations (or sub-districts), state associations, and a federal association, with some groups organized by company or industry, such as at Post and Bahn, in the chemical and metal industries, or in the service sector. According to the SPD statute, delegate conferences with board elections are held every two years.

• 2024

  Federal conference held 4–5 May in Berlin; Cansel Kiziltepe re-elected as federal chair.

• 2022

  Renamed to Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit; Cansel Kiziltepe becomes federal chair.

• 2012

  Klaus Barthel becomes federal chair.

• 2000

  Ottmar Schreiner becomes federal chair.

• 1984

  Rudolf Dreßler becomes federal chair.

• 1973

  Founded on the initiative of Herbert Wehner as Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeitnehmerfragen.

The AfA positions itself as the "hinge" between the trade unions and the SPD, representing the interests of employees and promoting social justice, job security, and a strong welfare state within the party and in public debate.

1. 1AFA: afa.spd.deafa.spd.de
2. 2AFA: Wir über unsafa.spd.de
3. 3AFA: AfA vor Ortafa.spd.de
4. 4Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
5. 5Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeitnehmerfragen – Wikidatawikidata.org