Horst Wolland is a welder in Berlin and his wife also works. The grandmother looks after their child. Wolland tries to move up the career ladder to better provide for his family. He is on the verge of being promoted when the working conditions worsen, triggering a strike. Wolland stays out of it but he also refuses to tell his manager who the strike-leader is. So he is not promoted. Wolland understands what solidarity means and tries to organize another strike.