Vol. 53 No. 211 (2023): Tarifvertrag

The collective bargaining system in Germany is under stress. A decline in collective bargaining coverage has been observed since the 1990s. The trade unions have become weaker over the past thirty years and their power to act and shape society has diminished. They have been put on the defensive by market-liberal reforms in economic, labour and social policy, but also by strategic (mis)decisions. In addition, the loss of membership, which has been going on for decades, has reduced their ability to assert themselves. In addition, employers' strategies have changed since the 1990s.

PROKLA 211 takes up various topics related to the collective agreement: The relationship between collective bargaining policy and working time, the collective bargaining strategies of trade unions in East Germany, the significance of the minimum wage increase for collective bargaining autonomy, and collective bargaining policy in platform-mediated delivery work.