1. Gabriele Sterkel, ver.di United Service Sector Union Berlin Decentralization of collective bargaining in Germany: how ver.di is facing the challenges Gabriele Sterkel 17.11.2013

2. outline Aiming the revitalization of bargaining power Why is this necessary?... Some figures and statistics about the decline and the labour problems in Germany How ver.di is facing the challanges Conditional Bargaining (see IAQ) Minimum wage policy, wagefloor in collective agreements, monitoring the low wages Towards more coordination of collective bargaining? Tasks for the future 7.11.2013Gabriele Sterkel2

3. Main strategic goal since 2007 and reached in 2013: growth in membership Gabriele Sterkel37.11.2013

4. Why?.... The challenges... declining real wages, growth of low wage sector, splitted labour cost (cheap services), distribution, growing gaps... privatization, outsourcing, growth in precarious and temp.a.work crisis of the collective bargaining system, declining coverage, low legal support... White spots in cb landscape... Low wages in ca Declining number of trade union members

5. Entwicklung vor der Krise… Development of real wages... Before the crisis 7.11.20135Gabriele Sterkel

6. Entwicklung nach der Krise…... After the crisis 7.11.20136Gabriele Sterkel

7. Low wage shares in Europe

8. The German job miracle

9. No statutory minimum wage in Germany WSI Oktober 2013

10. Fair distribution of wealth gains? 7.11.2013Gabriele Sterkel10 Capital income wages

11. Liberalization, privatization, outsourcing, decentralization of enterprise structures...... Have entirely changed the preconditions of collective bargaining New economic structures, new sectors (f.e. security) New structures in collective agreements: new regional and thousands of enterprise- and plant-level agreements Wide areas without ca and wide areas with (very) low ca Growing importance of collective action and strikes New acting subjects: collective action became more female (first experiences)

12. ... and how ver.di is facing the challenges: Minimum wage policy Campaign for a statutory minimum wage, branch level mw after the posted workers law, mw in public procurement

13. Branch level mw after the posted workers law

14. Collective bargaining coordination in ver.di: with basic rules/guidelines Steps towards more and better agreements (even in the low wage branches) and higher unionization Basic rules/guidelines (Grundsätze) in cb coordination no collectively agreed wage below 8,50 EUR Using bargaining rounds and negociations for organizing new members background 13 sector departments/ 60 branch organisations nearly comlete cb autonomy of the cb committees roundabout 2000 collective agreements every year

16. Towards more coordination of collective bargaining? Task for the future To face decentralization and splitted working conditions To influence macroeconomic figures 7.11.2013Gabriele Sterkel16

17. Coll. agreed pay and margins of distribution 7.11.2013Gabriele Sterkel17

18. Thank you for your attention! Gabriele Sterkel 187.11.2013