Co-determination and co-creation: How to set up a works council
Do you work in an organization that does not yet have a works council? Then it's high time.
The most important questions and answers at a glance
Setting up a works council makes sense in (almost) all companies, whether large or small. The prerequisite is that five employees with voting rights are employed in the company.
In order to establish a works council, there does not have to be any acute problems in the company. It is important that someone stands up for you and your colleagues if things don't go smoothly or improvements for employees are to be implemented.
You don't have to be able to do everything, because the works council benefits from the different strengths of all its members. Together you are a good works council team if you
- ... are committed and assertive
- ... have a sense of justice
- ... walks through the company with open eyes and ears
- ... likes to chat with your colleagues
- ... has an appreciative culture of communication in the works council team and with your colleagues
- ... would like to develop and educate you further
- ... are interested in employment law
- ... does not shy away from negotiations with the management
- ... jointly developed solutions
IMPORTANT: We as the trade union vida accompany you in your works council work. If you don't know what to do, we'll have your back and help. We also offer you a variety of further training opportunities .
The more time is invested in the work of the works council, the more topics can be advanced. Nevertheless, the time and effort required by works councils can vary greatly.
Some factors that influence the effort are, for example, the size of the company, the division of tasks in the works council, participation in further training and your individual circumstances.
Basically, it is your decision how much time you want to or can invest in the work of the works council. The best thing to do is to discuss the topic together with the works council team and think about how volunteering is best handled for you.
A clear no. An employer cannot prohibit or hinder the establishment of a works council. Rather, he/she is obliged to support the formation of the works council.
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