Approximately two months after two Romanian workers died in a fire, the IG Metall Küste (coastal federation) and the German shipbuilder Meyer Werft announced, on September 16, that they signed, with the participation of the WC, a “company collective agreement.” It defines the working conditions of people working on the shipyard with a “subcontracting contract” (Werkverträge). It imposes that all subcontracting firms on the site comply with minimum social standards, including minimum wage (€8.5/hour), and it improves the WC’s rights to be informed and to investigate. This is the first collective agreement in Germany aiming to combat abusive use of subcontracting. (Ref. 130550)
Agreement following a tragedy. The death of two Romanian subcontractors working on Meyer Werft’ shipyard in Papenburg, in July when their house burned, revived the debate in Germany about abusive appeal to subcontracting and shed light over the often precarious pay and housing conditions of employees from subcontracting firms, usually from eastern Europe (see article No. 130136). The fire started in an individual house where 33 shipyard workers lived.
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