Tarifbindung und betriebliche Interessenvertretung: Ergebnisse aus dem IAB-Betriebspanel 2018

This article continues the annual reporting of the IAB in WSI-Mitteilungen on collective bargaining and company level representation of interests with data for 2018. First, the commitment of the companies to collective bargaining agreements is presented by sector, company size and federal state. Thereby the still persisting differences between west and east Germany are taken into account. Since 1996, collective bargaining coverage in both parts of the country has shown a clear downward trend, even though the recent development has been less clear. These results are complemented by information on works councils and alternative forms of company employee representation. In the long run a distinct downward movement is also apparent for works council coverage. However, in 2018 this trend seems to have been broken. The various forms of employee representation not legitimised by law are characterised primarily by their low stability. Finally, the joint examination of both levels of interest representation points to the extensive gaps of co-determination on the shop floor (betriebliche Vertretungslücken) and also completely blank spots with no collective agreement at all.