Engagement through Emotional Connection: Powerful Approaches to Engaging Next Gen Workers
Organising Agency Workers: recent approaches in Germany
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Transcript of Organising Agency Workers: recent approaches in Germany
WSI
TURI network conferenceBrussels, 14 October 2008
Organising Agency Workers: recent approaches in Germany
Dr. Heiner Dribbusch
Institute of Economic and Social Research (WSI)Düsseldorf, Germany
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSI
2002 – Deregulation of agency work
Red- green coalition passed deregulation
No more time limits
Removal of all contractual restrictions
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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2002 deregulation: equal treatment ...
Same pay and conditions as regular
workforce in the establishments doing the
hiring
but:
deviations allowed by way of collective
agreements
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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In other words:
Law is an incentive for temp work agencies
(TWA) to conclude collective agreements
because this is the way to avoid equal
treatment
The government passed the buck to the
unions
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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Bargaining development
2003: DGB sets up joint bargaining
commission for agency work
20 February: DGB and two employers‘
associations agree on ‘corner stones’
24 February: CGB presents package of
agreements undercutting the DGB
May: DGB concludes collective agreements
with provisions above CGB-agreements
but below ‘cornerstones’
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Collective bargaining - features
Collective bargaining without the involvement of agency workers
Weak union density
Undercutting competition by Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CGB) puts pressure on DGB and strengthens employers
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Development of agency work
Quelle: Bundesagentur für Arbeit
245,780275,838
328,011 341,053318,465 330,219
385,256
443,949
579,771
715,056
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSI< 1 week 1 week to < 3 months > 3 months
1997 11 53 36
2008 11 44 45
Length of employment (in %)
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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Data on agency workers:
2.4% of all employees liable to social security contributions
75% of agency workers are men
Agency work is in particular found in large establishments (> 500 employees)
Predominantly there were collectively agreed pay is high (e.g. car manufacturing; suppliers for auto industry
widespread in metal working (e.g. car manufacturing, production of parts)
in some cases between 30% and 50% of total workforce
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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Agency workers and works councils
2006 works council elections (metal working):
Agency workers registered as voters in 31% of establishments
In 22% of establishments they constituted more than 10% of electorate,
in 7% more than 20% of electorate,
and in 3,5% more than 30% of electorate
Problem: agency workers are not included when calculating thresholds (number of seats; release from work)
Lowest pay scales: euro/hour Agency work and selected industries
Source: WSI-Tarifarchiv - as of August 2008
6.46
6.53
7.31
7.38
8.15
11.33
12.47
CGB/BVD
CGB/AMP
DGB/iGZ
DGB/BZA
Cleaning (buildings) West. G.
Metal working industry (NRW)
Chemicals (North-Rhine)
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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Differences in pay
Metal industryAbout 25% to 45% less pay for same
work
Less days of paid leave
Considerably lower benefits
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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Major reasons for differentials
Metal industry: in 75% of establishments hiring agency workers
these are paid according to the collective agreement of the temporary work agency
Also: agency workers are frequently found to be in inappropriate pay scales
Short terms of contract exclude promotion
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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Challenges:
Agency work replaces permanent employment Agency workers are employed as strike breakers Divided workplaces Agency work leads to two-tier workforce
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSITemporary work agencies are the organisational domain of ver.di
A few major TWAs have works councils (mainly admin staff) but this does not result in substantial organising of agency workers
The new collective agreements did not work in terms of organising the workers
Organising agency workers
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
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The challenge is at the workplace
Equal treatment is primarily not a collective bargaining issue but a challenge for workplace unionism and works councils
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSIIG Metall was part of the 2003 bargaining approach
The union has become aware that agency workers have to be organised where they work and not where they are employed
IG Metall set up a special website for agency workers
IG Metall started in 2007 a campaign“Equal pay for equal work”
The challenge for IG Metall
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSIThe focus is on companies with large shares of agency work (>10% agency workers)
The union seeks the support of the works councils
The target is the management of the hiring company
Aim: equal or at least better pay and conditions
The approach of IG Metall I
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSIWorks councils are motivated to:
- INVOLVE agency workers
- meet with agency workers
- get to know their problems and address them
The approach of IG Metall II
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSIAgency workers are motivated:
- to report about their situation (questionnaire)
- to address the works council
- to organise in the union and to be prepared to take action
The approach of IG Metall III
TURI conference, Brussels 14 Oct 2008, Heiner Dribbusch
WSIUp to now: more than 350 company-level agreements on improved pay and conditions
Target of 10,000 new members amongst agency workers will be met in 2008
Organising results are not directly linked to the quality of the agreement but to the degree of agency workers’ involvement
Success requires works council and agency workers to be prepared for a conflict with management
First results
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Thanks for listening!
Links in German:
http://www.dgb.de/themen/tarifpolitik/zeitarbeit/index.htm
http://zeitarbeit.verdi.de/
http://www.igmetall-zoom.de/
http://www.gleichearbeit-gleichesgeld.de/