Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IGBCE) is one of Germany’s major industrial trade unions, representing employees across the mining, chemical, pharmaceutical, energy and related process industries such as plastics, rubber, glass, ceramics and paper. Established in 1997 through the merger of IG Chemie‑Papier‑Keramik, IG Bergbau und Energie and Gewerkschaft Leder, it is headquartered in Hanover and is part of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the global IndustriALL network.
In the chemical sector, IGBCE negotiates industry‑wide and company collective agreements, shapes co‑determination through works councils and supervisory boards, and advocates for fair wages, safe working conditions, training and skills development. The union plays a central role in managing restructuring and site transformations, including social plans, job security measures and just‑transition frameworks linked to decarbonization and energy policy. It also engages with policymakers on industrial, energy and labor regulation affecting Germany’s chemical value chains.