Contacts with foreign representatives are often difficult not only because of the language barrier, but due to the
different culture and labour law situation in the individual countries. Our binational workshops can help to promote
directly the mutual understanding between workplace representatives of two selected countries.
Example: British-German intensive workshop (duration 3 - 5 days)
The workshops' objective is to become familiar with the work of works councils in Germany and representatives' committees
in the UK through an
intense and
direct exchange of experience. Included is the instruction of cultural
standards of both countries, which helps to understand correctly and foresee the action of partners in the other country.
Intercultural conflict fields should be identified at an early stage and a constructive interaction of workplace
representatives accross frontiers should be tested.
The whole event is interpreted simultaneously, in the training plenum as likewise in the British-German workgroups,
which are build numerous during the workshop. The workshop aims at workplace representatives from both countries,
belonging to the same company or the same group of companies.
Possible questions of this training include:
Which role play the works council resp. the representatives' committee and trade unions in the
company? What rights and resources are they entiteled for?
Which attitude and behaviour pattern show German and British employers and executives toward the
workforce representatives?
Which possibilities of action have the workforce representatives in concret day-to-day issues, e. g.
layoffs, new managemenet techniques or flexible working time?
Which role play trade union officials and experts in the workplace representation system of both
countries?
What importance have the German supervisory board or the British board of directors for the
workforce representatives?
How could the work of the local representatives linked up with the European Works Council?
Our trainers know the cultural particularities in both countries out of practice, speak both languages and could rely on
extensive experiences in an intercultural training context. We would recommend as locations the training center of the
German trade union IG Metall in Berlin, of the British union Amicus in Esher (near London) or the national college of GMB
in Manchester.
Additional countries:
This workshop could be carried out from our office with participants from France and Spain in the same manner and to
similar conditions. Training locations could be the central training center of the Spanish trade union confederation UGT in
Madrid or of the French trade union confederation CFDT in castle Bierville south of Paris. These locations are known to us
and are recommended from us.
Obviously it could be agreed to book hotels resp. the training could be carried out in company own locations in Germany,
UK or other countries. Please speak to us about any details.
Further topics for in-company trainings:
