DGB Bildungswerk Bayern

DGB Bildungswerk Bayern (formally Gemeinnütziges Bildungswerk Bayern des Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbundes e.V.) is the non-profit adult education organisation of the German Trade Union Confederation (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB) in the federal state of Bavaria. It was founded on 24 April 1974, following the adoption of Bavaria's Adult Education and Promotion Act (Erwachsenenbildungs- und Förderungsgesetz, EbFöG), and has since been one of the seven state-recognised providers of adult education at Bavarian level. Its creation followed the establishment of the DGB Bildungswerk at federal level in May 1972 and was intended to consolidate the regional education work of the trade unions in Bavaria, enabling them to act as a recognised provider within the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Erwachsenenbildungsträger in Bayern (AGEB). The organisation is legally an independent registered association (e.V.) and is autonomous vis-à-vis both the DGB's Bavarian district and the individual member unions. This independence is a precondition for it to conduct works council training under § 37.6 of the German Works Constitution Act (BetrVG). Its mission, set out in its statutes, is to enable employees to exercise independent judgement, secure their material existence and participate in society, to promote cooperation among education providers under the Bavarian adult education law, and to serve international understanding. Its economically most important pillar is the training and further education of works and staff councils (Betriebs- und Personalräte), offered through a central, cross-sector education programme with a focus on economics, sustainability and occupational health and safety. These courses are open to non-union members as well. In addition, the Bildungswerk offers political education and regional formats for socially engaged citizens, including seminars, lectures, advisory and qualification services. Its programme areas include 'Betriebliche Interessenvertretungen' (works council representation), the 'Münchenprogramm' and 'Politische Bildung' (political education). Over the decades the organisation has adapted to significant structural change. The founding of the service union ver.di and the decision by IG Metall Bayern in 2011 to move its works council training to the Kritische Akademie in Inzell sharply reduced the number of participants, prompting a new business plan in 2011 and a revised statute in 2012. Today the DGB Bildungswerk Bayern continues to support works councils, staff councils and other workplace representation bodies with practice-oriented training and expertise, while also running public events on topics such as the world economy, right-wing populism and antisemitism. It is led by a managing director and a team responsible for education, finance, administration, the Munich programme, technology and innovation consulting, and communications.

The DGB Bildungswerk Bayern was founded on 24 April 1974, after repeated deliberations by the DGB's Bavarian state district board. Its creation followed the establishment of the DGB Bildungswerk at federal level (DGB Bildungswerk BUND) in May 1972 and was prompted by the adoption of Bavaria's Adult Education and Promotion Act (Erwachsenenbildungs- und Förderungsgesetz, EbFöG). The new organisation was tasked with consolidating the regional education work of the trade unions in Bavaria, primarily to enable them to act as a recognised provider at state level within the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Erwachsenenbildungsträger in Bayern (AGEB). There were no structural ties to Düsseldorf. The minutes of the first members' meeting on 3 October 1974, which settled statutory and financial questions, record a unanimous resolution on the association's purpose: to enable employees to exercise independent judgement, secure their material existence and participate in society; to promote cooperation among education providers under the Bavarian adult education law; and to serve international understanding. In its early phase, the Bildungswerk was to capture the various education offerings of the unions and present them in a joint education programme, not only for public funding but also in the unions' interest in maintaining a nationwide offering and supporting weak education regions. Cultural work received particular attention. For several individual unions it was also the organisation that could offer seminars in Bavaria with the possibility of educational leave, which was important because Bavaria itself had and has no corresponding legal basis. Over time the Bildungswerk underwent an organic development process and became a service institution for its member organisations. Methodological and didactic questions regarding the target group of employees were a recurring theme. These didactic requirements, coupled with the demand for regionally active speakers, placed high demands on the qualifications of honorary and full-time speakers. Their further training was therefore a constant concern, addressed for example through a congress of education officers. In addition, key DGB topics were conveyed and education-policy developments of the unions reflected. Beginning with the establishment of the Pfronten branch office in 1992, the focus increasingly shifted to conducting seminars for workplace interest representatives. To handle the growing number of seminars and conferences – especially for works councils – branch offices were set up step by step in the Bavarian administrative districts, working closely with local unions and DGB regions. This initially applied to almost all organisational areas, meaning many seminars were organised and processed on behalf of individual unions. The organisational structure changed substantially as a result, leading to a new statute in 2000. Even before the founding of ver.di, the individual unions increasingly organised education for workplace interest representatives through their own education centres. The founding of ver.di meant that a further not insignificant share of seminars was processed through ver.di's education structures. In 2011 the Bavarian district leadership of IG Metall decided to commission the Kritische Akademie in Inzell with the training of workplace interest representatives in its own organisational area. Due to this renewed significant organisational change and the drop in participant numbers, a new business plan for the DGB Bildungswerk Bayern was drawn up in 2011. This was followed by a correspondingly adjusted statute at the members' meeting in September 2012. As a legally independent entity, the DGB Bildungswerk Bayern is an autonomous organisational unit vis-à-vis the DGB's Bavarian district and especially the individual unions. This is a precondition for conducting seminars under § 37.6 BetrVG as a trade union education provider. Its tasks are formally determined by its statute and the Bavarian Adult Education and Promotion Act (EbFöG), while it remains committed in content to trade union positions in Bavaria. Its economically most important pillar is the training and further education of workplace interest representatives, offered through the central education programme across sectors, with a focus on economics, sustainability and occupational health and safety. The offerings are also aimed at non-union works and staff councils, and the central education programme is open to all. This area also includes congresses on topics of works and staff council action. As a state-recognised provider of adult education, it also serves broader adult education in Bavaria.

• Establishment of the DGB Bildungswerk at federal level (DGB Bildungswerk BUND).

• Founding of the DGB Bildungswerk Bayern after deliberations by the DGB Bavarian state district board.

• First members' meeting adopts the association's purpose unanimously.

• Establishment of the Pfronten branch office, marking a shift toward seminars for workplace interest representatives.

• New statute adopted following substantial organisational change.

• IG Metall Bavaria decides to move its works council training to the Kritische Akademie in Inzell; a new business plan is drawn up.

• Members' meeting adopts an adjusted statute.

State-recognised, non-profit trade union adult education provider in Bavaria, focused on co-determination, democracy and social engagement, open to all interested persons regardless of union membership.

• Central education programme for works and staff councils

  Cross-sector training and further education for workplace interest representatives, focusing on economics, sustainability and occupational health and safety; open to non-union members.

• Münchenprogramm

  Regional education programme in Munich.

• Politische Bildung

  Political education offerings including seminars, lectures and discussions on social and political topics.

• Technology and innovation consulting

  Advisory services on technology and innovation for workplace interest representatives.

1. 1Für eine erfolgreiche Interessenvertretung in Betrieb und Gesellschaftbildungswerk-bayern.de
2. 2Über unsbildungswerk-bayern.de
3. 3AGBbildungswerk-bayern.de
4. 4Teambildungswerk-bayern.de
5. 5DGB Bildungswerk Bayernwikidata.org
6. 6DGB Bildungswerk Bayernde.wikipedia.org