There were two exciting evenings in the almost sold-out Mercedes-Benz Arena. Many thousands of Berliners of all generations praised the music of the now almost 80-year-old former Pink Floyd mastermind and his clear political messages.
The union to which many of the store workers belong, Verdi, does not represent their interests but those of the owners and shareholders. To defend their jobs and rights, and retain these well-loved stores, department store workers must establish independent rank-and-file committees.
Workers at the company confront a conspiracy in which the Verdi union works closely with management, insolvency administrators, politicians and real estate speculator René Benko.
Only after workers have ensured the company makes maximum profits in the stressful Christmas sales period will the 17,000 staff of the store chain be told which branches will remain and who will lose their job.