Heinz-Werner Meyer (24 August 1932 – 9 May 1994) was aGerman trade union leader and politician.
Born in theHarburg area ofHamburg, Meyer became a coal miner, while attending night school. He joined theUnion of Mining and Energy (IG BE), and also theSocial Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). From 1955, he studied economics at the Academy of Economics and Politics, then in 1957 he became the IG BE's full-time youth secretary.[1]
Meyer's rise in the union continued, as in 1964 he was appointed as head of its organisation department, and in 1969 he won election to its executive. From 1975 to 1985, he also served in theLandtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1984 he became vice president of IG BE, and then in 1985 the president of the union. In 1987, he was elected to serve in theBundestag, standing down in 1990, when he was elected as president of theGerman Trade Union Confederation. He remained in post until his death, in 1994.[1]
| Trade union offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Hans Alker | Vice President of theUnion of Mining and Energy 1984–1985 | Succeeded by Walter Beer |
| Preceded by | President of theUnion of Mining and Energy 1985–1990 | Succeeded by Hans Berger |
| Preceded by | President of theGerman Trade Union Confederation 1990–1994 | Succeeded by |