News details

News date: 10/07/2012
Source:
Title: Deutsche Post DHL Forum agreement concluded
Memo:
The DPDHL Group and the European Works Council amend the existing Agreement After nearly two years of negotiations, the chairperson of the EWC, Elmar Kallfelz and Board member Angela Titzrath on behalf of Central Management signed the amended version of the existing “Agreement on Information and Consultation of Employees in Europe” at the DPDHL Forum meeting on 24 May 2012. Based on Germany’s new European Works Council Act (Europäisches Betriebsräte-Gesetz, EBRG) dated 18 June 2011 and the practical experience gained since the Forum was established in 2003, the European Works Council had requested negotiations with management to amend the Agreement. The objective was to be able to exercise the rights to information and consultation in an even better and more structured manner in the future, in order to increasingly become the “voice” of DP DHL employees in Europe. The significant “highlights” of the Agreement are listed below: Following the principle of the European social dialogue, in 2003 a joint committee of the European Works Council and the European Management Forum (EMF) – the DPDHL Forum – was established which holds the right to information and consultation. This committee will also continue to exist in the future (50 seats for the EWC members, 25 for the EMF members). Every European country covered by the Agreement is represented by at least one member of the EWC. There will continue to be two meetings per year. For the first time, the preamble explains that every Group employee in Europe has the right to elect or appoint employee representative bodies and that economic and social aspects together form the basis for a future-oriented corporate policy. One notable success was the agreement on a detailed description of the information and consultation process. This will only end when management has provided a reasoned response to the statements. The quantity and quality of the information documents will also be improved (with information about the measure, the financial and economic background and the impact on the organisation and the employees etc.). The expansion of training rights and of the length of training sessions are also deemed a great success for the members of the EWC. Protection of the EWC members has also been extended to their deputies. EWC members and their deputies must not be given notice before the Select Committee has been adequately informed and involved. This is necessary so that members and deputies are able to carry out their duties without let or hindrance. Exemption regulations and the provision of modern work equipment such as a PC, telephone etc. enable members at European level and in the individual countries and regions to fulfil their obligations from the mandate on the EWC. Visits to employees on site are also possible. In addition, the right to involve a permanent expert and the possibility of setting up working groups enable the EWC to do its work properly. The EWC can state with satisfaction that the Agreement from 2003 has been significantly enhanced by the amendments in 2012 from the point of view of the employees in Europe, and that the EWC, with the support of the international trade unions, the UNI Global Union and the European Transport Workers’ Federation, and of ver.di, can now produce an even higher quality of work than before in relation to European employees. Elmar Kallfelz EWC chairperson of Deutsche Post DHL
Link: http://www.ewcdb.eu/show_document.php?agreement_ID=1717