While trade unions appear more or less satisfied with the coalition governments draft joint agreement that was presented on 07 February, employers’ bodies remain nonetheless unimpressed. Business leaders argue there are too few tax changes encouraging innovation and business. Employers also coldly welcomed changes announced in the areas of labor law and the law covering how companies are made up, holding that the changes are going too far in the direction of the social-democrat party and the trade unions. As a case in point they argue that restricting the growth of part time work, temporary work, and fixed term employment contracts effectively constrains employers flexibility. The fact that the SPD party has also secured both the Finance and Employment and Social Affairs Ministries has done nothing to improve their humor.
The draft joint agreement only becomes effective after the activist social democrats are asked to vote on the new ‘grand coalition’. The result of the vote should be known by 04 March 2018.
The coalition agreement’s main measures:
- Bolstering WC rights to initiate continuous training. WCs (company works councils) can require company management to start negotiations on continuous training. If the negotiations don’t progress the WC and or company management can call for a mediator.
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