Atypical philosophy of employee representation. After a two-year bargaining and thinking process, launched in 2009, SAP announced that a majority of the 29 members of the SNB agreed on the final version of an “Agreement on the establishment of an SAP European Works Council,” which was signed in late November. Even though the communiqué released in the media presents this as the “normal” continuation for a company employing 25,000 people in 27 European countries, this signature is a strong symbol for a company whose founders – and most employees – never concealed their hostility to union presence, or even traditional employee representation, in the company. “Unions and works councils have merits. But some companies don’t need any of them, and we are one of these” Dietmar Hopp, one of SAP’s cofounders, declared in the 1990s. Even though he is a legalist Hopp – as well as the company’s other founders – did all he could to keep “outside influence” out of the company. Thus, SAP is not affiliated with an employers’ organization or covered by a sectoral collective agreement. Since the company was built on the gray matter of highly-skilled and very well paid workers, social protest is almost unknown to the company. Besides, the computing sector, relatively recent, has a low membership rate.
have merits. But some companies don’t need any of them, and we are one of these” Dietmar Hopp, one of SAP’s cofounders, declared in the 1990s. Even though he is a legalist Hopp – as well as the company’s other founders – did all he could to keep “outside influence” out of the company. Thus, SAP is not affiliated with an employers’ organization or covered by a sectoral collective agreement. Since the company was built on the gray matter of highly-skilled and very well paid workers, social pr
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