United Services Union (Germany)

vereinigte dienstleistungsgewerkschaft, ver.di

Last modified: 2012-12-22 by pete loeser
Keywords: ver.di | united services union | vereinigte dienstleistungsgewerkschaft | square (red) |
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Image by Marcus Schmöger, 22 May 2002

• Introduction: United Services Union - Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di)
• Description of United Services Union Flag
• United Services Union Vertical Flag - variant
• United Services Union Paper Flag - used May 2002

• Public Services, Transport and Traffic Union - Gewerkschaft Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr (ÖTV)
• Trade Unions of Germany
• Political Parties of Germany
• Index of all German Pages

Introduction: United Services Union
Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft - ver.di

In DGF-Nachrichten [dgf] no. 23, pp. 6-7, I reported on the flag of the German trade union ver.di, with 3 million members the largest single trade union in the world. A translation of my short report follows:

"In the spring of 2001 five formerly independent trade unions joined together to form the new Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di) or United Services Union. During their fusion congress on 18 March 2001, the following unions decided their amalgamation as of 2 July 2001:

• Deutsche Angestellten-Gewerkschaft (DAG) or German Employees' Union
• Deutsche Postgewerkschaft (DPG) or German Postal Union
• Gewerkschaft Handel, Banken und Versicherungen (hbv) or Trade, Banks and Insurance Union
• Industriegewerkschaft Medien (IG Medien) or Media Industrial Union
• Gewerkschaft Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr (ÖTV) or Public Services, Transport and Traffic Union."

Description of United Services Union Flag

The new logo was designed by Hansen Kommunikation. It shows a red square, slightly diagonal, containing the white inscription ver.di, the dot being black. For demonstrations this logo is also used on flags, for instance, during the demonstration on 1st May 2001 in Munich. At least for some time the flags of the five former trade unions would be used, as happened on 1st May 2001 in Munich.
Sources: Author's own observations at the 1st May 2001 and 2002 demonstrations in Munich; Fischer Weltalmanach 2002; and the ver.di website, especially the logo image here.
Marcus Schmöger, 22 May 2002

The square flag variant shows a white, not black, dot.
Santiago Dotor, 23 May 2002

Exactly, this is a common variant, perhaps some mistake in production of the flags, or some uncertainty about the exact colours of the new logo.
Marcus Schmöger, 24 May 2002

United Services Union Flag - Vertical variant

Image by Marcus Schmöger, 22 May 2002

Both square and vertical variants are used; furthermore they use regional variants containing also the city name, for instance, Düsseldorf.
Marcus Schmöger, 24 May 2002

United Services Union Paper Flag - May 2002

Image by Marcus Schmöger, 22 May 2002

Another variant of the ver.di flag could be seen as a paper flag at the Munich May 2002 demonstration. The paper flag has a size of 148 × 192 mm, slightly smaller than DIN A5 size. I do not think that there are prescribed proportions for the flags of the trade unions.
Marcus Schmöger, 22 and 24 May 2002