Kraemer, Birgit

Since 2013, trade union ver.di has been recruiting members among employees of Amazon and has campaigned for better wages and working conditions. Amazon opposes all collective bargaining but argues that it is a socially responsible employer. A new round of stoppages by ver.di members demanding a collective agreement began in September 2016.

A revised bill on temporary agency work and service work, set to be passed by the German Federal Government in early March 2016, was finally passed by Parliament in October and awaits approval by the Federal Council. It contains limitations on the use of temporary agency work, but also provides room for deviations via collective agreements.

The German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) introduced the DGB Good Work Index in 2007 as a measurement tool, based on data from an annual survey, for monitoring quality of work. This article describes the background to the DGB Good Work Index, the most recent findings and the debate around the Index.

The strong stability of industrial relations in the face of controversy over migration policies, the rise of right-wing populist campaigns and responses to the vote on Brexit are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Germany in the second quarter of 2016.

The German national statutory minimum wage for international truck drivers has caused considerable controversy. Some Member States fear it will damage the competitiveness of companies sending drivers to destinations via Germany. However, it is important to find a balance between promoting the free movement of goods and ensuring appropriate protection for workers.

Trade union membership growth, the draft bill on temporary agency work and elections in three federal states are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Germany in the first quarter of 2016.

A new phase of the Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy, launched in 2015, concentrates on addressing the risk of psychological stress at work.

Around one million asylum seekers arrived in Germany in 2015, sparking off a heated debate among politicians and social partners about their integration.  Several asylum regulations were eased in 2015 to improve a...

Smartphone car service Uber, a successful company example of the sharing economy, has spread to many EU Member States in recent years. However, many employers and unions are concerned about its challenge to fair competition for other businesses in the sector and about the erosion of working conditions for drivers. It remains to be seen whether there is some ground for EU- level regulation in this field.

German trade unions split on new legislation – some trade unions file constitutional complaint The Act on Collective Agreement Unity (Tarifeinheitsgesetz) was passed by Parliament and Federal Council on 22 May 2015. When th...