Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund

Opiekunki in Germany: "I'm mentally exhausted"

Our counsellor Magdalena Kossakowska from OPZZ gave an interview for the Money.pl. She spoke about the legal situation of careworkers posted to Germany and the activities of the consultation point as part of our project.

September 2021 | Money.pl

➥ Original article [Polish] : Opiekunki pracujące w Niemczech

"Nonstop service"

A Bulgarian nurse had to work 24 hours for 7 days a week - but had only been paid for 30 hours a week. Ms Alekseva (not her real name), a Bulgarian citizen, had come to Germany as a carer and domestic help in June 2013 via a German placement agency. She actually had to be available for nursing, care and household work around the clock; there were no fixed free times and no paid holidays. Now she has successfully sued for additional pay in at the Labour Court in Berlin. The court confirms that firms that demand “round-the-clock care” from employees must also pay for 24 hours a day.

December 2019 | DGB Bildungswerk/Faire Mobilität

➥ Original article [German] : Nonstop-Bereitschaft
➥ Report on project website [English] : Bulgarian carer successfully sues for back pay

"Tricks on the construction site"

Companies operating abroad have to pay in Slovenia lower social security contributions. German trade unions see this as a violation of EU law and lodge a complaint with the EU Commission. They concern that other EU countries are copying the model and that there will be competition for low labour costs. The article reports in detail how trade union acteurs see forward to closing the legal loopholes in the field. 

16.11.2019 | Süddeutsche Zeitung 

➥ Original article [German] : Tricks auf dem Bau

"Posting of workers abroad"

A lot of workers from Slovenia work abroad. What infringements and dubious practices do they face? The Slovenian television chanel documents the current situation and interviews experts on the issue, Marko Tanasić from Fair Working Conditions/Slovenia and Šejla Vojic from Fair Mobility/Germany.

18.11.2019 | RTV 4

➥ Original video [Slovenian] : Napotitve delavcev v tujino

"Illness and unexpected release. "Polish babysitters are a cheap workforce" "

The polish documentary and additional material on the respective website present information about one further case in the care sector dealing with potential problems in regards to illness and health insurance while working abroad. Ms. Grażyna Świderska worked for one and half year in support of an elderly woman in Germany. As the two women got on very well with each other, work conditions and atmosphere were all right – until Ms. Świderska suffered a sudden stroke. When she began to recover, she learned that she was dismissed from work by her agency which also deregistered her at ZUS (Polish health insurance) without her knowing. The case of Ms. Świderska, who is supported by the polish information centre for posted workers, is still open.

26.09.2019 | UWAGA-TV

➥ Original video & article [Polish] : Choroba i niespodziewane zwolnienie

"Polish caregivers of German pensioniers as modern slaves"

Two polisch women, Agda and Polina, talk about their experiences as caregivers in German households. Both report that they were first made  attractive job offers by polish agencies. In Germany the situation results to be very different: the symptoms of the diseases of the elderly are much heavier than indicated, so the care is much more intensive and the women feel completely unprepared. In addition there are communication problems with the family of the seniors and the Polish agency as their employer is hardly available. Adam Rogalewski, expert on the issue and working for Polish trade Union OPZZ, states that these experiences are exemplary. The German agencies are barely interested in the contracts that the caregivers have with their polish counterparts. The latter themselves often promise an all round care, which means help in the in the kitchen, garden and much more in addition to the 24-care support.

13.07.2019 | GAZETAPRAWNA

 ➥ Original article [Polish] : Współczesne niewolnice, czyli polskie opiekunki niemieckich emerytów

"OPZZ launches a consultation point for caregivers of elderly in Germany"

Several Polish media reported on the opening of the information center for posted workers in Warsaw on April 15th. The establishment of the office is part of the transnational two-year project "Fair working conditions” which is co-financed by the European Commission. Several countries are part of the project, each specializing its work at one sector of the labour market. In Warsaw the focus is on Polish and increasingly Ukrainian caregivers sent to German households. Polish Advisor Adam Rogalewski is quoted describing the typical problems of the mostly female posted workers: difficult employment conditions, low wages and probable isolation. The employers are hard to contact. This is where the work of the information centers comes in; they provide help and advice on the rights of the workers to appropriate payment and decent working conditions.

15.04.2019 | PULSBISNEZU, POLSKI OBSERWATOR, EVERETHNEWS

➥ Original article [Polish] : OPZZ uruchamia punkt konsultacyjny dla opiekunek osób starszych w                                                       Niemczech 
➥ Original article [Polish] : Powstał punkt konsultacyjny dla opiekunów i opiekunek                                                                        osób starszych delegowanych do pracy do Niemiec
➥ Original article [Polish] : Punkt konsultacyjny dla opiekunek osób starszych w Niemczech

"Fair working conditions for posted workers"

The German Foundation “Friedrich Ebert” sums up the results of the international meeting of European trade union initiatives active in the field of fair posting of workers. The participants shared experiences about the current state and possibilities of the posting of workers and agreed with the week position of posted workers in terms of imposing rights and standards e.g. in the construction sector, logistics or seasonal work in agriculture. Achievements of existing projects like TIDE POWER (Italy), REDER (France) or Fair Mobility (Germany) were discussed as well as future possibilities to support posted workers. The participants identified limited project timelines as one important obstacle and highlighted the necessity of further international cooperation of trade unions, information centres and other relevant institutions.

08.04.2019 | FES - FRIEDRICH EBERT STIFTUNG

 ➥ Original article [German] : Faire Arbeitsbedingungen für entsandte Arbeitskräfte