“Rent, electricity, food—with a salary of just under a thousand euros, there’s nothing left,” says Greuvers. His social life is suffering. When his friends ask if he wants to go out with them on the weekend, he usually has to turn them down. “Temporary work gets you down anyway,” says the Cologne native, adding, “You can be replaced at any moment.”
His works council representative, Osman Carikci, contacts IG Metall Cologne-Leverkusen. It quickly becomes clear that the temp agency is underpaying Greuvers and about 60 of his colleagues—by as much as 50 percent. That’s because they’re entitled to a so-called industry surcharge that IG Metall negotiated in 2012. Greuvers and the others are eligible for this surcharge because they work for an automaker and are thus employed in the metal and electrical industry.
To circumvent the supplement, some temporary staffing agencies claim to operate in a different industry. This is also the case here: IG Metall Cologne-Leverkusen confronts the company with the facts, but its management claims it belongs to the service industry.
It’s clear to everyone: Not every fight is successful
As a result, Greuvers, his colleagues, works council member Carikci, and IG Metall Cologne discuss how to proceed. It’s clear to everyone: It could take a long time to sue for the money—up to four years, if it works out at all. After all, being in the right doesn’t always mean getting justice. But the best chances come from working together, with a strong union behind them. Everyone involved wants to give it a try.
As feared, the court proceedings drag on for years. Almost always present in the courtroom: Manuel Greuvers. The employer’s lawyer resorts to far-fetched comparisons to avoid paying the bonuses. He points to the wages of workers employed as packers in the furniture industry and fabricates other excuses. Greuvers? Often, he can only laugh bitterly.
“I was just so frustrated”
Greuvers is actually a cheerful and open-minded guy. But the years are taking their toll on his spirits. For a moment, he considers giving up. “I was just so frustrated that I had to wait so long for my money. But then I told myself: Come on, clench your fist in your pocket. No way am I backing down!” He wouldn’t come to regret that decision.
The final court hearing
The case goes before the Federal Labor Court—the court of last resort. The hearing drags on for several hours. Because Manuel Greuvers has an early shift the next day, he has to leave the courtroom before the verdict is announced. He isn’t there when the judge delivers the ruling: Temporary workers are assigned to a client company in the metal and electrical industry—and must receive the industry-specific bonuses. Period. For Greuvers, this means nothing less than a back payment of around 30,000 euros.
But the young man with three-day stubble is already on his way home at this point and doesn’t yet know of his good fortune. Works council member Carikci immediately grabs his cell phone, and while Greuvers is still in the car, his phone rings: “Congratulations. You’ve won!”
“A weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can’t even describe it.” Manuel Greuvers is currently moving into a new apartment with his girlfriend. He says he could really use the money for new furniture—and to go out with his friends again this weekend.
