Stracke, Stefan

Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT) provides aircraft-related technical services to a worldwide customer base comprising airlines, aircraft leasing companies, maintenance organisations, and operators of business and VIP aircrafts. In the past 10 years, one major innovation in the field of work organisation at LHT has been the creation and implementation of a Lean Production System affecting all areas of the company. This involved not only starting a series of Lean projects but also investments in workforce qualification and equipment including the creation of a Lean department, a training academy and the continuous education of ‘Lean specialists’ from within the existing LHT workforce. The motivation behind this innovation was to increase efficiency and to reduce costs by minimising the wastage of time and resources and by optimising existing work processes and investments in people management.

This study shows the main characteristics and specifics of the ARC sector in four European countries. The overall picture shows that the activities of contractors go beyond the agricultural and forestry sectors, into construction services or services to public authorities. The project also shows that special requirements for health and safety, education and training arise in this sector, due to the high degree of mechanisation and the use of high-tech equipment. At national level, the study shows that most of the time representation and social dialogue is not ARC-sector-specific. The ARC sector is predominantly covered by the social partner organisations of the agricultural industry. Collective agreements often overlap with the general agricultural sector, or they apply at company level.

The joint stock-company General Motors (GM), with its headquarters in Detroit, is the world’s largest automotive group, with nearly 9.2 million vehicles sold around the world in 2005. This case study is based on interviews undertaken with national delegates of the General Motors EWC/GME European Employee Forum (EEF) and with local trade union representatives in Poland and Hungary, and, in addition, with an EWC deputy member from Poland. The interviews were carried out between February and July 2006. The EWC, which is known as GME European Employee Forum (EEF), was established by a voluntary agreement in 1996.

The Bosch group, with headquarters in Stuttgart, is one of the world’s largest private industrial corporations and a major supplier in the field of automotive and industrial technology, as well as of consumer goods and building technology. This case study is based on interviews carried out in the Czech Republic and Hungary between March and June 2006 with EWC delegates, as well as with a senior HR management representative (Hungary) and a local works council chairman (Hungary). Additional information was delivered by the Bosch EWC Secretariat in Germany. The Bosch EWC was established in 1998.

Siemens, with headquarters in Munich and Berlin, is a globally-active company operating in the fields of electrical engineering and electronics. This case study is based on interviews conducted in the Czech Republic and Poland. Interviews were carried out between February and June 2006 with EWC members and senior HR management representatives in both countries. An additional interview was carried out with a representative of the Siemens EWC Secretariat in Erlangen, Germany. The EWC within the Siemens group was set up in 1994.