Mehrdad Payandeh Steps Down as DGB Leader

DGB Regional Chairman Payandeh: One Wrong Move, A New Life - Mehrdad Payandeh Steps Down as DGB Regional Leader After Remarkable Journey

Mehrdad Payandeh, who rose from a warehouse worker to lead the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) in Lower Saxony, Bremen, and Saxony-Anhalt, has stepped down. His successor is Ernesto Harder, the current DGB state leader in Bremen.

Payandeh's journey began in Iran, where he fled and eventually found himself in West Berlin after mistakenly boarding a train to the city. Initially aiming for Denmark, he settled in Germany and started working as a warehouse employee. He learned German, joined the SPD, and later studied economics, receiving his doctorate in Bremen in 2004. In 2008, he moved to the federal executive board of the DGB in Berlin. Since 2018, he has led the DGB in his region.

Former Lower Saxony Minister President Stephan Weil praised Payandeh as a 'highly loyal partner' and a 'networker par excellence'. DGB federal chairman Yasmin Fahimi paid tribute to him as a 'trade unionist through and through, a fighter for social justice, for co-determination and democracy'. Payandeh himself reflected on his life, saying he thought he had taken a wrong turn but realized he got on the right train after all.

Mehrdad Payandeh's farewell in Hannover marked the end of his tenure as the regional head of the DGB. His successor, Ernesto Harder, takes over, bringing his own experiences and leadership to the role. Payandeh's legacy as a dedicated trade unionist and advocate for social justice will continue to influence the DGB and its members.