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A strengthened European Works Council directive will mean more respect from employers, says Margrit Wendt from ver.di Germany. Margrit chairs both the Deutsche Post European Works Council Forum and the DP World Net Forum and is an active member of the union network in the company that includes UNI-Europa and the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF). “In our agreement we have a lot of possibilities, but with a better directive the EWC will have more force, more respect and can give more support to unions.

“In a global group, decisions affect different countries. I believe that workers need a transnational works council with stronger rights and responsibilities.”

The full EWC normally meets twice a year and the select committee meets about every six weeks. The full EWC has 52 members - 20 of them women. Members are nominated in each country based on the national regulations - in Germany this means through the Group Works Council.

E-mails and an IT platform keep them informed of developments and UNI-Europa and the ETF are regular attenders at EWC meetings.

Margrit has been chair for five years and she believes that the EWC Forum offers the best possibility for obtaining information from this increasingly global post and logistics giant - “therefore there are a lot of opportunities to support workers”.

“Based on my experience over the last 37 years - as a union and works council chair - I stand for the rights and protection of employees.”