Thomas Händel | |
|---|---|
 Thomas Händel in 2016 | |
| Chair of the European Parliament Employment and Social Affairs Committee | |
| In office 7 July 2014 – 30 June 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Pervenche Berès |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 14 July 2009 | |
| Constituency | Germany |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Händel (1953-08-27)27 August 1953 (age 72) |
| Political party |  German:The Left  EU:European United Left–Nordic Green Left |
| Alma mater | University of Berlin |
| Website | www |
Thomas Händel (born 27 August 1953) is a German politician andMember of the European Parliament fromGermany. He is a member ofThe Left, part of theEuropean United Left–Nordic Green Left. He was appointedChair of the European Parliament Employment and Social Affairs Committee in July 2014.[1]
Händel began training as an electrician atGrundig inFürth in 1970, which is also when he joined theIG Metall trade union.[2] He subsequently attended the academy of work atGoethe University Frankfurt, after which he advanced through IG Metall, becoming the managing director of the Fürth branch in 1987 and a member of the national advisory board in 1991.[2]
In March 2004, along withKlaus Ernst, Anny Heike, Gerd Lobodda, Günther Schachner, Herbert Schui and Peter Vetter, Händel called for the creation of the Initiative Arbeit und soziale Gerechtigkeit, a group opposed to theneoliberal policies of theSocial Democratic Party of Germany Government. By June the group had been expelled from the party and had merged with another organisation, Wahlalternative, to formLabour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative, or the WASG.[3] Händel was one of the party's four executive board members and acted as treasurer.[2] After the merger of the WASG and theParty of Democratic Socialism to form the Left party in 2007, Händel became vice-chairman of theRosa Luxemburg Foundation.[2][4] He waselected to theEuropean Parliament in 2009.[1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
