On Monday, 30 November 2015, staff at BIS will go on a one-day strike.
Why are we striking?
For nearly two years, the staff at BIS represented by the union have been struggling to make their voices heard. We went on a one-day strike last year, too, which resulted in negotiations between the school directorate and the Tarifkommission.
After a full school-year’s negotiation, the entire process was denied and annulled by the BIS board’s refusal to sign the collective bargaining agreement - which had been carefully constructed through intense negotiation by the directorate and the Tarifkommission.
A collective bargaining agreement (Tarifvertrag) – the only kind of works agreement officially recognised and mentioned by name under German labour law – is what staff are seeking. A “works agreement” (Betriebsvereinbarung) is sometimes referred to as a "little CBA" ("kleiner Tarifvertrag"), but it is not an official entity under German labour law. And it is not as powerful, or as secure.
As evidence of this, the BIS board of directors annulled the existing works agreement at the school last week in a unilateral move. The school Betriebsrat was not consulted, only retroactively informed of this. The board may do this, because a works agreement can be terminated unilaterally. A Tarifvertrag/CBA cannot.
The union have called for mediation in this dispute. The request was turned down by the board.
Don’t let the rug be pulled out from under the staff again. Make your voice heard! Endorse the signing of a Tarifvertrag/CBA at BIS today for harmonious, stable, secure tomorrow.
Watch this space for more updates…
Why are we striking?
For nearly two years, the staff at BIS represented by the union have been struggling to make their voices heard. We went on a one-day strike last year, too, which resulted in negotiations between the school directorate and the Tarifkommission.
After a full school-year’s negotiation, the entire process was denied and annulled by the BIS board’s refusal to sign the collective bargaining agreement - which had been carefully constructed through intense negotiation by the directorate and the Tarifkommission.
A collective bargaining agreement (Tarifvertrag) – the only kind of works agreement officially recognised and mentioned by name under German labour law – is what staff are seeking. A “works agreement” (Betriebsvereinbarung) is sometimes referred to as a "little CBA" ("kleiner Tarifvertrag"), but it is not an official entity under German labour law. And it is not as powerful, or as secure.
As evidence of this, the BIS board of directors annulled the existing works agreement at the school last week in a unilateral move. The school Betriebsrat was not consulted, only retroactively informed of this. The board may do this, because a works agreement can be terminated unilaterally. A Tarifvertrag/CBA cannot.
The union have called for mediation in this dispute. The request was turned down by the board.
Don’t let the rug be pulled out from under the staff again. Make your voice heard! Endorse the signing of a Tarifvertrag/CBA at BIS today for harmonious, stable, secure tomorrow.
Watch this space for more updates…