Thomas Händel
Thomas Händel ( born August 27, 1953 in Nuremberg, Germany) is a German politician (The Left ) and trade unionists.
Life
Handel since 1970, beginning his training as an electrical mechanic at Grundig in Fuerth, a member of the IG Metall. He was first elected as a youth representative, then as a council. After graduating from the Academy of working at the University of Frankfurt / Main, where he became assistant for teaching, among other things by Wolfgang Abendroth. Since 1979 he was a member of the board of IG Metall and since its inception also ( as a representative of IG Metall ) Member of the Steering Committee of the peace movement at the federal level. In 1987, he became Managing Director of IG Metall in Fürth, and member of the Advisory Board of IG Metall. In addition, he was from 1995 to 2006 honorary judge at the Court of Appeal.
Together with Klaus Ernst, Anny Heike, Gerd Lobodda, Günther Schachner, Herbert Schui and Peter Vetter he sent on 12 March 2004 by e -mail a call for establishing the initiative Work and Social Justice ( ASG). You should as opposed to the direction taken by the SPD line - be an organized political counterpoint to the neo-liberal restructuring of society, for the maintenance and expansion of the welfare state and a socially just funded community. The development of a selectable in the next Federal election social alternative from this alliance out has not been expressly excluded. In June 2004, Handel was therefore, as well as the other five years of SPD members of the establishment call, excluded at the request of the party executive without hearing from the SPD.
The ASG joined shortly thereafter with in northern Germany caused, globalization critical electoral alternative to the club " Electoral Alternative Labour and Social Justice '. In January 2005, it was the party Labour and Social Justice - The Electoral Alternative, short WASG. Thomas Händel was from the foundation of the party one of the four Executive Board members and Federal Treasurer of the WASG. At the founding congress of the Left in June 2007, he did not run for the party leadership. Since 1 December 2007, he is Deputy Chairman of the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation. In the European elections in 2009 Handel was elected to the European Parliament.
Activities as an MEP
Handel is a member of the board of his group, the Confederal Group of the European United Left / Nordic Green Left.
He is also a member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and in the Delegation to the ACP -EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.