Works council pays off

Fruit, milk, bread, eggs, chocolate – many thousands of groceries are at hand for us in the supermarket every day. But what journey do the products have to go through before they reach the shelves? Manuel knows the answer. After all, it is an important part of the supply chain – together with around 150,000 retail workers in the country. Many professional groups work hand in hand in Lidl Austria's logistics centres: from forklift drivers and high-speed runners to order pickers and IT specialists. Together, they ensure that every pallet, every product ends up in the right place at the right time. Every move is perfect. A sophisticated system that would stand still without the many people behind it.

Logistical masterpiece

Manuel has been working at Lidl Austria since 2010. "Actually, the job was only intended as a transition," the Viennese native looks back. "After my time in the emergency services, I ended up at Lidl by chance. I thought I'd take a quick look, and now I've been here for 15 years – and it's a perfect fit." Starting as an order picker, Manuel soon became a group leader. His motto: muscle power meets brains, fun meets precision. "By the way, this doesn't just apply to working in our Lidl warehouse," laughs the passionate arm wrestler and vice chairman of Austria's largest arm wrestling club.

With strength and brains

Manuel likes to work with people – which is why he took on the next big challenge in 2014: the election and founding of the first works council at Lidl Austria. Whether it's questions about the duty roster or social plan negotiations: Manuel is there for all his colleagues in the logistics centers. He particularly remembers the relocation of "his" warehouse from Burgenland to Lower Austria: "It was clear to us as the works council that we now had to deliver. That's when we felt: Now it's up to us!"

Nothing works without vida

Together with his works council team, Manuel fights for fair working conditions day after day – with his union at his side. "Without the support of our vida, many things would not be possible," says Manuel. Achieving the best for everyone together is his motivation – also in the annual collective agreement negotiations. What these will bring to retail workers across the country is  not yet clear. But one thing is out of the question for Manuel: "Alone you are often on a lost cause. The union is behind you, next to you, in front of you – and that's priceless."