Read this article in:
English
15 November, 2016The Global Framework Agreement signed in March 2015 between ThyssenKrupp, German affiliate IG Metall, the company Works Council and IndustriALL Global Union was awarded the silver medal at Germany’s “Works Council Day” on November 2016 in Bonn, Germany.
Wilhelm Segerath, Group Works Council chair, together with European Works Council chair Wolfgang Krause and Susanne Herberger and Tekin Nasikkol, members of the International Committee received the prize on behalf of all trade unionists and Works Council members involved in the negotiation and implementation of this ground-breaking agreement.
Every year German unions jointly with labour institutions and the support of the ministry of labour hold a “Works council day“, honouring works councils for extraordinary achievements for their employees.
This year, IndustriALL’s agreement with ThyssenKrupp won the silver medal for its ground-breaking conflict resolution model. In her speech IG Metall’s vice president Cristiane Benner referred to the complaint system. This system allows employees to report violations of the agreement and get an answer following a joint investigation by management and the international committee. A case can be closed when it is mutually agreed.
Wilhelm Segerath, Group Works Council President and member of the IG Metall board, stated:
"The new global framework agreement and the integrated complaint and conflict resolution system are, in our eyes, a first step to enforce adherence to ILO standards regarding human and employees’ rights all over the world – not only in Germany or Europe."
"This also fosters solidarity within our multinational group. There are quite a lot of international or global agreements in force already. But we have made special efforts to create a monitoring or detection system that enables all our employees worldwide to report violations in a way that protects them and ensures a good solution with involvement of the international committee.“
Matthias Hartwich, IndustriALL’s director for mechanical engineering, stated:
"IndustriALL is proud to be part of this agreement, and I am also proud to represent IndustriALL in the international committee which monitors the agreement and follows up with the complaints that come in. We know that an agreement – as strong as it is – can never replace the local, regional and national trade union work in the company. But it can help to find solutions in conflicts where local parties are in a deadlock.“