Frankfurt am Main – One hundred years ago, on February 4, 1920, the Works Council Act went into effect. The law, which was initially controversial, became a cornerstone of employee co-determination. “Congratulations, works constitution! Even after 100 years, you remain a sustainable and innovative model of success,” said Christiane Benner, Second Chair of IG Metall, on Monday in Frankfurt. “The works constitution is more necessary today than ever. Only through workplace co-determination can we successfully shape digital and structural change in a socially responsible way.”
However, this transformation requires a modernization of co-determination. “We need a general right to co-determination and initiative in the areas of qualitative workforce development and workforce planning,” Benner emphasized. It is necessary to provide employees with forward-looking training for new tasks. “We want fair opportunities for everyone through continuing education.” An IG Metall employee survey found that forward-looking workforce planning is underdeveloped in half of all companies. “This poses an immense employment risk during the transformation, as many tasks and requirements will undergo fundamental changes due to digitalization and new drive technologies,” warned the Second Chairperson. Trends such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data make an update to the co-determination system necessary. “Works councils need stronger rights regarding the introduction of AI,” demanded Benner.
Benner used the anniversary of the Works Constitution as an opportunity to thank the more than 73,000 works council members within IG Metall’s organizational scope for their work in the approximately 10,000 works councils: “Works councils are committed to the employees and are thus a stable pillar of our democracy. They make an indispensable contribution to social cohesion and integration.” Studies show that companies with employee participation are more stable and successful, and are better able to weather periods of economic downturn. In companies with works councils, there is greater job security, higher collective bargaining coverage, better working conditions, and greater gender equality.
Further reforms to the legal framework are essential for the effective protection of works council activities. The announcement in the coalition agreement to facilitate the formation of works councils and works council elections is a step in the right direction, but it must be swiftly followed by action. In particular, protection against dismissal for those initiating the first works council elections must be urgently improved. “The fact that, even in the 21st century, the formation of works councils is still being obstructed in some cases is an unspeakable situation. Those who are committed to democracy in the workplace need the best possible protection,” emphasized the Second Chair. “We want to strengthen volunteer work. That is why the obstruction of both works council elections and works council activities must be prohibited by law. We can only solve the challenges of the 21st century through modern forms of participation—not with early-capitalist ‘master of the house’ methods.”
Note to editors:
Background information on the topic of “Co-determination and its history” can be found on the Hans Böckler Foundation’s website at https://www.boeckler.de/36713_123772.htm#
