New German works council law agreed

Planned changes to Germany's law on works councils, which are directly elected by the whole workforce, were agreed last month. The changes (see Labour Research April 2001, page 8) provide for bigger works councils in larger workplaces, give more works council members the right to full paid time off for their duties, make it easier to set up works councils in the first place and give works councils greater influence, for example on training and qualifications and job protection.

The DGB German union confederation has welcomed the changes, which should be in place by the end of the year, in time for the works council elections in 2002.