A single or multiple cam unit for knitting machines, with needle feet of knitting needles selectively lowerable by means of a needle selector device into the needle channels of the needle beds, comprises fixed and movable cam elements of the cam units (D) and pressure cam elements (17, 18, 19, 20) for each cam unit (D) cooperating with the needle selector device. In order to effect a transfer of stitches independently of the carriage traverse direction and independently of the transfer direction towards the front, towards the rear or in both directions at the same time, each cam unit (D) is constructed symmetrical about the central axis (M) of the cam unit (D), each cam unit (D) includes a cam element (8) oscillatable in the cam plane for extending the needles during knit-stitch formation as well as a controllable cam element (6) for tuck-stitch formation and, in each cam element (D), fixed transfer cam elements (27,28) and fixed acceptor cam elements (24,23) for stitch transfer are provided.