Many applicants have been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Although it is not common in Germany to ask applicants to sign a NDA , it is not usually anything to worry about.
If you would like to know more about this, we can help.
The employment contract is signed by the employee and a representative of management, and normally takes precedence. Changes to the employment contract must also be agreed and signed by both sides. In the case of notices, employees usually just sign to confirm they have received them. But it depends on details.
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A works council cannot negotiate about rates of pay, working hours and other matters that are usually regulated in collective agreements (union contracts/ger: Tarifverträge ). If the works council does so anyway, the employer can always decide to terminate the agreement.
A union contract however can only be negotiated and signed by a trade union and once it’s signed, is legally binding. How much the union can achieve always depends on its strength in the specific workplace. In other words, how many members the union has there and how active and well-organised they are.
One of the things a union contract regulates is which jobs are covered by which pay level and how much pay you get. If there is a union contract, the employer is legally bound to its contents.
So in a workplace with a union contract, workers can insist on correct grading – even by taking the employer to court if necessary. Since there’s no collective agreement applying to Tesla Grünheide, Tesla does not have to obey such rules. In consequence this means: every employee to negotiate for themselves, regarding their job position and how much they get paid.
IG Metall is Germany’s largest trade union. It unites more than 2.2 million members fighting together for better pay as well as working and living conditions.
IG Metall in numbers:
• Members in more than 14 000 companies in 30 industrial sectors
• More than 155 union locals across Germany
• About 52 000 elected works council representatives
If you'd like to know more about IG Metall, click here:
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1. Collective action on salary and conditions
IG Metall provides the tools to fight for your interests at work. If you and your colleagues want to improve your working conditions, it only works together. If you want to build the union at Tesla or have questions, just let us know.
2. Legal representation
We advise members on all work-related issues, including employment contracts, references and terminations. When conflicts occur, we provide free legal advice service and representation. This covers all aspects of labour and social law, including unemployment, health insurance, pensions and employers’ liability insurance.
3. Local knowledge
Our full-time and volunteer organisers are providing expert advice and support to our members at Tesla. As well as full-time officials, our team includes works council members, youth reps as well as shop stewards from workplaces in the region.
4. Representing workers’ interests in politics and society
The IG Metall brings together all the shop-floor knowledge about work and industry held by works council representatives, youth reps, shop stewards and union officials. We actively shape public policy to reflect our members’ interests. Just like in the workplace, our political influence in society depends on the strength of our membership.
No, your employer does not need to know you joined a union. Legally speaking, your boss or superior isn’t even allowed to ask.
