Gabriele Sterkel, ver.di United Service Sector Union Berlin Decentralization of collective bargaining in Germany: how ver.di is facing the challenges Gabriele.

Gabriele Sterkel, ver.diUnited Service Sector UnionBerlin

Decentralization of collective bargaining in Germany:how ver.di is facing the challenges

G a b r i e l e S t e r k e l

Gabriele Sterkel 17.11.2013

outline

Aiming the revitalization of bargaining power

Why is this necessary? ... Some figures and statistics about the decline and

the labour problems in Germany How ver.di is facing the challanges

Conditional Bargaining (see IAQ) Minimum wage policy, wagefloor in collective

agreements, monitoring the low wages Towards more coordination of collective bargaining?

Tasks for the future

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Main strategic goal since 2007 and reached in 2013: growth in membership

Gabriele Sterkel 37.11.2013

Why? .... The challenges ...

declining real wages, growth of low wage sector, splitted labour cost (cheap services), distribution, growing gaps ...

privatization, outsourcing, growth in precarious and temp.a.work

crisis of the collective bargaining system, declining coverage, low legal support ... White spots in cb landscape ... Low wages in ca

Declining number of trade union members

-2,8%

5,3% 6,1% 6,6%8,1% 8,1% 8,8% 10,0% 11,0%

13,4%14,9%

16,4% 16,8% 17,1% 17,8%

29,3% 29,4%

Schlusslicht Deutschland Veränderung der Reallöhne pro Kopf 2009 gegenüber 2000

Quelle: Europäische Kommission: Ameco-Datenbank (Deflator: privater Konsum), Stand: September 2013

ver.di BundesvorstandBereich Wirtschaftspolitik

Entwicklung vor der Krise…

Development of real wages ... Before the crisis

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Entwicklung nach der Krise…

-0,7%

3,2% 4,2%6,6% 7,2% 7,5%

0,1%

12,5%

3,6%

16,5%13,4%

-3,3%

16,9%14,8%

13,4%

40,0%

26,1%

Schlusslicht GriechenlandVeränderung der Reallöhne pro Kopf 2012 gegenüber 2000

Quelle: Europäische Kommission: Ameco-Datenbank (Deflator: privater Konsum), Stand: September 2013

ver.di BundesvorstandBereich Wirtschaftspolitik

... After the crisis

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Low wage shares in Europe

The German job miracle

-990.000

2.230.000

550.000

770.000

2.360.000

-1.440.000

registrierte Arbeitslose

Erwerbstätige

(Solo-) Selbstständige

geringfügig Beschäftigte

herkömmliche Teilzeit

Vollzeitbeschäftigte

Mehr Beschäftigung - aber was für welche?Veränderung der Erwerbstätigenzahlen von 2000 bis 2012

Quelle: Institut für Arbeitsmarkt und Berufsforschung, auf 10.000 gerundet (Stand: August 2013)

ver.di BundesvorstandBereich Wirtschaftspolitik

No statutory minimum wage in Germany

LuxemburgFrankreich

BelgienNiederlande

IrlandGroßbritannien

SlowenienMalta

SpanienGriechenland

PortugalKroatien

PolenTschechien

UngarnSlowakei

EstlandLettlandLitauen

RumänienBulgarien

0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00

11.109.43

9.109.07

8.657.78

4.534.06

3.913.35

2.922.292.21

2.011.951.941.90

1.761.71

1.060.95

Chart Title

WSI Oktober 2013

Fair distribution of wealth gains?

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Capital income

wages

Liberalization, privatization, outsourcing, decentralization of enterprise structures ...

... Have entirely changed the preconditions of collective bargaining

New economic structures, new sectors (f.e. security) New structures in collective agreements: new regional

and thousands of enterprise- and plant-level agreements Wide areas without ca and wide areas with (very) low ca

Growing importance of collective action and strikes

New acting subjects: collective action became more female (first experiences)

... and how ver.di is facing the challenges:

Minimum wage policy Campaign for a statutory minimum wage, branch level

mw after the posted workers law, mw in public procurement

Branch level mw after the posted workers law

Collective bargaining coordination in ver.di: with basic rules/guidelines

Steps towards more and better agreements (even in the low wage branches) and higher unionization

Basic rules/guidelines (Grundsätze) in cb coordination „no collectively agreed wage below 8,50 EUR“

Using bargaining rounds and negociations for organizing new members

background 13 sector departments/ 60 branch organisations nearly comlete cb autonomy of the cb committees

roundabout 2000 collective agreements every year

Towards more coordination of collective bargaining?

Task for the future To face decentralization and splitted working conditions To influence macroeconomic figures

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Coll. agreed pay and margins of distribution

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Thank you for your attention!

Gabriele Sterkel187.11.2013