Bonn – This year’s gold works council prize goes to the works council of the automotive supplier Gestamp Griwe in Haynrode, Thuringia. The committee is honored for its work in securing the existence and future of the site.
In September 2020, the company’s management announced that it would in future award orders to a location that is not bound by collective bargaining agreements and lay off up to 145 employees. This withdrawal of orders could have meant closure in the medium term. The works council and employees opposed these plans with clear commitment. General and company meetings, constant feedback from colleagues and the establishment of an active group were the first steps. In the deliberations of the company conciliation board, which the works council had called for, it became clear that statements by the management about the alleged shortage of skilled workers and the lack of new orders were not tenable.
The works council of Gestamp Griwe Haynrode GmbH was able to prevent the plans of the management with a widely supported petition for the expansion of production, the construction of new plants and for investments in sustainable products and a lot of pressure on the employer. Instead of layoffs and closure scenarios, the process ended with new orders, an increase in sales of 25 million a year and investments in the location.
Christiane Benner, Vice Chairwoman of IG Metall and laudator for the company at this year’s award ceremony, sees this as one of the main arguments for a complete overhaul of co-determination: “The example of the colleagues in Haynrode shows that works councils have the right ideas and the best visions for the future ! The case underscores our demand for works councils to be given more co-determination rights for the strategic orientation of companies in a reformed, up-to-date works constitution law. Then the unimaginative, eternally identical plans of employers could finally be counteracted more effectively.”
Christiane Benner also sees the award ceremony as a positive signal for other works councils: “The Gestamp colleagues are an inspiration for how to create future perspectives from supposed hopelessness with co-determination. Especially when the future is challenging!”
Background to the works council award: The “German works council award” is an initiative of the renowned trade journal “Labour Law in Operations”. Since 2009, it has honored the commitment and successful work of works councils that are committed to maintaining or creating jobs, improving working conditions or overcoming crises in companies. Every year, a top-class jury made up of trade unions, science and proven practitioners makes a selection from a consistently high number of submitted projects.
More than 1,000 committees have applied for the German Works Council Award since it was first advertised. Public attention and recognition for exemplary representation of interests – regardless of industry, company size and union membership is the central idea of the nationally known award.
The award is given once each in the categories gold, silver and bronze. The jury also awards various special prizes.