Factsheet for measure
DE-2020-10/1580
– measures in Germany
Secure pay and safe working conditions at Krones
Einkommenssicherung und sichere Arbeitsbedingungen bei Krones
Background information
The Bavarian company Krones produces and installs bottle-filling machines with costumers at home and abroad, for example with Miller breweries in Wisconsin, USA. With lockdown coming into force in Europe and abroad, viable solutions were needed to protect workers' income and health and to ensure continuity of production during the pandemic. The agreement reached between management and the works council in Bavaria includes an employer top-up of short-term work payments, new working arrangements, and additional health and safety measures.
Content of measure
The employer uses the government-funded short-time work scheme, topping up short-term work payments to 80% of former salary levels. To enable social distancing, employees in Germany now work in fixed shifts, for which they receive an additional compensatory payment. The around 700 employees on construction jobs abroad receive additional health check-ups and health training in Germany before their departure and abroad before their return to Germany. The check-up includes COVID-19 testing and the handing over of protective equipment (gloves, masks, desinfectants). To enable social distancing, the employer pays for individual accomodation abroad, for example in Airbnb. To limit travel activities and changes of location, engineers abroad can visit home after twelve weeks, when before they could do so after six weeks. Employees receive a compensatory payment for this reduction in their travel opportunities.
Use of measure
Production at Krones continues despite lock-down measures in Europe and abroad. The changes in working arrangements and payment have contributed to securing jobs, maintaining pay levels, and keeping employees safe.
Contents
-
Bonuses
-
Health and safety
-
Income protection
-
Working time flexibility
Target groups
Actors and funding
|
Actors
|
Funding
|
Company / Companies
|
Employees
Employer
National funds
|
Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
|
Trade unions
|
Employers' organisations
|
|
Role
|
Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
|
No involvement
|
|
Form
|
Not applicable
|
Not applicable
|
Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
-
No involvement
-
Main level of involvement: N/A
Involvement
-
This is a company-level initiative. Company management reached an agreement on working arrangements and pay together with the company works council, which represents all employees. Works council members are members of the sectoral labour union IG Metall.
-
Social partners outside the company were not directly involved.
-
The employer, the state and employees jointly bear the cost of the measures agreed.
Views and reactions
The works council confirms that the changes in working arrangements and payment have contributed to securing jobs, maintaining pay levels, and keeping employees safe.
Sources
