Germany: BMW signs company agreement to recruit 3,000 agency workers in return for flexible working time

3,000 hires and no more than 8 percent temporary workers.  The IG-Metall clearly sees the agreement signed on Wednesday in Munich between BMW and its central WC as a victory.  Even though the company didn’t give in as much as anticipated, BMW’s central WC and the union have achieved their main goal: decreasing temporary employment and increasing permanent employment.  The agreement, valid until the end of 2013, provides that BMW is going to sign a permanent contract with nearly 3,000 employees.  However, not all of them will come from the 11,000 agency workers currently working at the carmaker’s plants.  Besides, BMW commits itself to bringing the share of temporary workers down to about 8 percent of its total workforce as opposed to over 15 percent now.  “This is the agreement’s key provision, and it’s a good one.  Of course, these figures affect the company as a whole and BMW may divide them as it pleases” Michael Knuth, IG-Metall spokesman in Bavaria, told Planet Labor.  In return, the employee representatives had to agree to flexible working time during highs and lows.  “The agreement is still confidential, but I can tell you that the flexible measures taken do not lead to an extraordinary scheme.  The company is now going to rely on tested tools and measures, for instance increased appeal to time savings accounts, measured changes to the workweek depending orders, or even canceling or adding a long weekend depending on the needs” Knuth explained.