The WSI trade union research institute has found that regional authorities are pursuing various possibilities to set up or re-establish procurement rules that require contractors to bide by relevant collective agreements. They have been reviewing the situation since 2008 when the European Court ruled against Lower Saxony in the Rüffert case. Following the case 10 regional authorities set aside their procurement rules. Now four have introduced new rules and five are planning changes this autumn. The authorities are using sectoral minimum wages as a basis for their new rules or are taking advantage of the fact that special rules apply to the transport sector. Two regional authorities have also introduced minimum wages specific to procurement.
Read more at > Hans Böckler (DE)
Regional authorities look to reinstate minimum pay rules in procurement
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Eight of the 16 regional governments (Länder) have introduced new rules on procurement to improve the pay and conditions of workers employed by contractors. A further four Länder will join them shortly. The regions are using three mechanisms to protect pay. Firstly, there are the sectoral minimum wages that have been introduced in some sectors like waste and social care. Secondly, there are specific rules covering the transport sector and thirdly some regions have introduced their own hourly minimum wage rate. Read more at > WSI (DE)
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