After relegation and austerity measures, job anxiety is rampant at the Hertha office Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild
By Roberto Lamprecht
Many Hertha employees are scared of their job after relegation! That’s why the workforce has now started talks with the “Verdi” union to set up a works council.
BZ has received the invitation from “Verdi” to all employees of Hertha BSC GmbH & Co KGaA for the works meeting.
Employment lawyer Pascal Croset says to the BZ: “The association no longer has the image of a caring employer. But the reputation of being a club that is increasingly taking action against its own employees. A works council would make it more difficult for Hertha to fire people in the future.”
The new works council would itself enjoy protection against dismissal and fight for the rights of Hertha’s employees.
Croset explains the protective function of a works council: “Without a hearing of the works council, no dismissal would be effective. And there must be a justification. You can’t just pay people less or fire them just because you don’t have enough money. You are bound by contracts. Hertha would have to prove that these jobs will actually be eliminated as part of the restructuring.”
One thing is clear: the relegated club wants to reduce its expenses in almost all areas. Around 50 employees are to be made redundant.
However, dismissals are usually made after a social selection process, which means that the employees who are least worthy of protection are given priority. Criteria include, for example, seniority. Despite all the austerity measures, Hertha has recently hired numerous new employees, some in managerial positions with high salaries.
It remains to be seen whether a works council can stop the wave of layoffs.