Union delegates approved Sommer's reelection on Monday morning with a vote of 94.1 percent, well above his 2006 election with 78.4 percent.

Sommer, a 58-year-old former postal service trade unionist, first took office in 2002. In beginning his third term, he is following in the footsteps of Heinz-Oskar Vetter, who holds the record for the longest tenure as DGB chairman at 13 years, from 1969 to 1982.

In announcing he would seek a third term in office in June 2009, Sommer said he did so because he wanted to "continue fighting for the little people."

National and international ambitions

As DGB chief, Sommer has the task of representing the various political interests of the 6.3 million members belonging to the eight unions DGB comprises, including the powerful IG Metall and ver.di.

Sommer has made efforts to increase the union's independence from party politics, but has maintained close relationships with Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leading members of her CDU party.

He is also running for president of the International Trade Union Federation, which meets in Vancouver this summer. The union group represents 176 million members from 155 countries.

The DGB convention, with the motto "Work, Justice, Solidarity," opened in Berlin on Sunday with a speech from Chancellor Merkel. It is scheduled to run through Thursday.

acb/apn/dpa/AFP
Editor: Chuck Penfold