111 out of approximately 200 members of staff voted in the survey. And although we would have liked to have more staff voting, the results are clear whichever way you look at it. A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiated by the elected TK (Tarifkommission) and protected by the union is the preferred method for negotiating and guaranteeing our contracts. Only 18% of those who participated consider a Works Agreement (WA) negotiated by the Works Council to be a reliable means of securing acceptable working conditions.
Given that a Works Council only have limited co-determination rights, cannot negotiate the key issues of salaries or working hours, and that a WA can be terminated at any time, it’s no wonder staff feel they deserve the security and dignity offered by a CBA.