Press Release No. 25/2010 IG Metall and Siemens Renew Site and Job Security Agreements

Berlin – IG Metall and Siemens have extended the agreement on securing the company’s locations and jobs for the Siemens Group in Germany. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the company’s Supervisory Board meeting on Wednesday in Berlin. IG Metall Chairman Berthold Huber described the agreement as an important foundation for Siemens’ future development. “The new agreement offers Siemens employees security and protection in the face of future changes. Siemens remains committed to its social responsibility toward its employees,” said Huber. Furthermore, the established rights to information and consultation for employee representatives represent a significant advancement in employee participation rights at Siemens. “Co-determination and participation are once again proving to be a positive factor for the company’s location,” Huber emphasized.

The chairman of the General Works Council, Lothar Adler, emphasized that the extension of the location and employment guarantee continues to ensure that both the core workforce and Siemens’s skills and manufacturing capabilities are maintained. “The agreement has proven its worth during the crisis, a fact that management now also acknowledges. The long-term continuation and expansion of the agreement is sensible and forward-looking for both employees and the company from both economic and social perspectives,” said Adler.

The agreement rules out the relocation or closure of sites at least until the end of 2013 and builds on the previous agreement from 2008. The agreement provides for extensive rights to information and consultation for employees regarding investment decisions, planned restructuring, and site decisions, and applies to the entire corporate group for the first time.