Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure DE-2020-14/1141 – Updated – measures in Germany
Country |
Germany
, applies locally
|
Time period | Temporary, 01 April 2020 – 07 April 2023 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Company practices |
Category |
Employment protection and retention
– Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Author | Birgit Kraemer (Hans Boeckler Foundation) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 15 September 2020 (updated 08 November 2023) |
The political measures introduced to limit the spread of COVID-19, including lock downs, social distancing, stricter hygiene standards, and restrictions in global travel and transport, pose particular challenges to companies in automotive supply chains. ThyssenKrupp Steel faced reduced demand from Germany's automotive sector, adding to existing pressures for restructuring. The company together with the works council had to use the German short-time work scheme and ensure social distancing at work while preventing social hard ship for employees.
Management agreed in negotiations with the works council to top-up short-time work salaries, initially reaching 80% of former wage levels, and later 89%. To ensure social distancing, the company also introduced a new shift schedule with differential starting times that allowed workers to avoid contact with others. Negotiating the agreement with management was particularly difficult for the company works council because social distancing rules prohibited employee meetings in a normal (off-line) setting. A works council member interviewed in Summer lamented an erosion of solidarity among employees as a result of social distancing (Magazin Mitbestimmung 06/2020, Hans-Böckler-Foundation). The agreement not only applies during the current pandemic but also covers future pandemic situations.
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
07 April 2023 |
On 7 April 2023, the official Corona protection measures in Germany expired. |
No data. (The research team at WSI will try to update this case in January 2021).
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Employees in standard employment
|
Applies to all businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
Company / Companies
|
Companies
Employees National funds |
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 | Direct consultation outside a formal body | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
No data.
This case is sector-specific (only private sector)
Economic area | Sector (NACE level 2) |
---|---|
C - Manufacturing | C24 Manufacture of basic metals |
This case is not occupation-specific.
Citation
Eurofound (2020), Short-time work at Thyssenkrupp Steel, measure DE-2020-14/1141 (measures in Germany), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/DE-2020-14_1141.html
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