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Fisher, Paul / Works councils in Germany
([1951])
Union and works council relations under legislation since 1945, pp. 8-11
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Page 8
UNION ArND -AORKS COUNCIL RELATIONS UNDER LEGISLATION SINCE 1945 Introduction An outstanding feature of the labor scene in 1945 was the spontaneous reappearance of the works councils. In many instances, persons who had been ousted from their elected works council positions after the advent of the Nazi regime resumed their office, sometimes without the benefit of an election, sometimes with the active support of the employer. These persons temporarily operated the business where management had fled, they assisted in the denazification program, and they helped to reestablish the destroyed labor organizations. Most of the men who took on these jobs were pre-1933 trade unionists with moderate views. Others, although also unionists, belonged to the Communist Party to which they looked for directions. TIhen, in the ensuing years, the unions finally emerged from local, Land or zonal, and bizonal stages to a western German Trade Union Federation, founded in October 1949, they had to find again a modus vivendi with the works council. By 1949, the works councils had again become part of the Gerfman labor tradition, celebrated by their achievements after the end of the war as well as by the sacrifices of works councillors during the Nazi regime. This time, however, the unions were in a more favorable position than they had been when the works councils were originally established under the Veimar Republic. The technique of controlling works councils had not been forgotten, and the problems were not dissimilar from those encountered in the rast. Most corks councils in the key inciustries were manned by trade uni cn men, al though sor.e of their were mialitant meri:ers of the Cojr.munist Party. 2mrployer influence rerained rather weak until currency refor!: (June 1048). As in 1918, the State not only refrained fror. interfering Vitil the uni]-onc, but was actually willint: to atke concessions to organized labor. Furth..rricre, Allied Ccntrcl Council law .o. 29 provided a basis fcr strengthening the uni-on's irnluefnce upon works councils irn an unpreceder ted way. - 8 -
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