Press Release No. 49/2015 IG Metall Works Council Members Call on the Federal Government to Stop the Abuse of Service Contracts

Frankfurt am Main – IG Metall works council members have called on the federal government to consistently implement the laws against the misuse of service contracts announced in the coalition agreement. “The abusive use of service contracts leads to distortion of competition, wage dumping, and precarious employment,” states an appeal published this Monday (September 21) in numerous major daily newspapers.

The appeal was signed by 24 general works council chairs from major automakers, suppliers, and several key industries—including Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW, as well as ThyssenKrupp and Airbus.

The works councils are calling for an end to the division of workforces through service contracts. “We demand that employers grant us a say in outsourcing decisions and ensure that minimum standards for working conditions are met at companies using contract labor,” the appeal continues. All employees have a right to good working conditions, fair pay in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, and a secure future. Policymakers must create a legal framework that provides works councils with the necessary tools.

IG Metall will underscore its demands with a day of action on Thursday, September 24, at numerous locations in the automotive industry. As part of the day of action, Detlef Wetzel, First Chairman of IG Metall, and Jörg Hofmann, Second Chairman of IG Metall, will speak at rallies in Leipzig and Stuttgart.

Note to editors: Detlef Wetzel will speak on September 24, 2015, at Porsche in Leipzig; the event begins at 1:30 p.m. Jörg Hofmann will speak on September 24, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the IG Metall rally “Together for Good Jobs” at Gate 7 / Gate 16 of Daimler AG in Sindelfingen.

Please note the attached call to action: “Stop the Abuse of Contract-for-Work Agreements—Act Now!”

Please see the link: “End Abuse – For Fair Work and Co-determination”