Berthold Huber
Huber graduated from high school in his hometown in 1969 and, after completing his community service in 1971, began training as a toolmaker, which he completed in 1974. When he began his training, he joined the Metal Industry Union (IGM). In 1974, Huber joined the Ulm company Kässbohrer, where he worked until 1978. At the same time, he began his first career at IGM, where he served as works council chairman at Kässbohrer from 1978 to 1984. In 1985, Huber began studying history, philosophy and political science at the University of Frankfurt, which he dropped out in 1989 without graduating.
In 1990, in the wake of German unification, Huber had the opportunity to pursue a full-time career in the IGM: he was now deployed to help set up the unions in East Berlin and Leipzig. A year later, Huber became a member of the SPD. Also in 1991, he was appointed head of the "First Chairman Department" in Frankfurt/Main, which reported directly to IGM Chairman Franz Steinkuhler. From 1993 to 1998, Huber was head of the collective bargaining policy department, reporting to the second chairman of the IGM, Walter Riester. Towards the end of 1998, Huber was promoted to district manager of the union in Baden-Württemberg, putting him at the head of the strongest regional association of the IGM.
In this role, he achieved a favorable collective bargaining agreement at the beginning of 1999, which had a pilot character for the other collective bargaining regions. In 1999, Huber also took part in political discussions about reforming the labor market as part of the "Alliance for Work" created by the red-green federal government under Gerhard Schröder. After the biggest strike defeat in the history of the IGM and the early resignation of chairman Klaus Zwickel, Huber was appointed second chairman of IG Metall Germany on July 23, 2003, together with the previous deputy chairman Jürgen Peters.
He also became a member of the Supervisory Board of the Siemens Group. At the union conference on November 6, 2007, he was elected first chairman of the metal industry union as the successor to Jürgen Peters.
Huber is married and has two children.
In 1990, in the wake of German unification, Huber had the opportunity to pursue a full-time career in the IGM: he was now deployed to help set up the unions in East Berlin and Leipzig. A year later, Huber became a member of the SPD. Also in 1991, he was appointed head of the "First Chairman Department" in Frankfurt/Main, which reported directly to IGM Chairman Franz Steinkuhler. From 1993 to 1998, Huber was head of the collective bargaining policy department, reporting to the second chairman of the IGM, Walter Riester. Towards the end of 1998, Huber was promoted to district manager of the union in Baden-Württemberg, putting him at the head of the strongest regional association of the IGM.
In this role, he achieved a favorable collective bargaining agreement at the beginning of 1999, which had a pilot character for the other collective bargaining regions. In 1999, Huber also took part in political discussions about reforming the labor market as part of the "Alliance for Work" created by the red-green federal government under Gerhard Schröder. After the biggest strike defeat in the history of the IGM and the early resignation of chairman Klaus Zwickel, Huber was appointed second chairman of IG Metall Germany on July 23, 2003, together with the previous deputy chairman Jürgen Peters.
He also became a member of the Supervisory Board of the Siemens Group. At the union conference on November 6, 2007, he was elected first chairman of the metal industry union as the successor to Jürgen Peters.
Huber is married and has two children.