18th Hamburg Conference for European and SE works councils
Start: Monday, 26 January 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
End: Tuesday, 27 January 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
"Current Issues in EWC and SE Work"
Monday, 26 January, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Professor Dr Reingard Zimmer, Berlin Professor of Labour Law at the Berlin School of Economics and Law
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Reingard Zimmer has been supporting the EWC Academy as a trainer and legal advisor since 2004. >> | |
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Dr Werner Altmeyer, Hamburg Managing Director of the EWC Academy
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Werner Altmeyer has been working for the EWC Academy and its predecessor organisations since 1997. >> | |
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Rudi Kennes, Antwerp Member of the European Parliament (The Left) and former Deputy EWC Chairman at General Motors
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On 21 May 2025, a provisional agreement on the text of the new EWC Directive was reached in the ‘trilogue’ between representatives of the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission. The new directive is to be officially adopted on 6 October 2025 and enter into force before the end of 2025. This can be seen as a major success for the trade unions, which were able to push through 80% of their demands. Rudi Kennes was personally involved in the trilogue negotiations and will report on them – also from the perspective of a former EWC member. Further information: www.ewc-news.com/en022025.htm#1 |
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Dr Marcus Meyer-Erdmann, Brussels Senior Researcher at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) and Assistant Professor at Rotterdam University
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What is the practical evidence of a good-quality EWC or SE agreement? For twenty years, the ETUI has maintained an online database and statistically evaluated these texts, e.g. in terms of the number of meetings, entitlement to training, operating resources, confidentiality rules, information and con-sultation procedures, and the distribution of seats by country (including outside the EU). The growth in SE works councils is particularly strong. In 2018, for the first time more SE works councils were established than European works councils. How many of the approx. 1,200 councils operate ‘by law´ without agreement? What were the approx. 170 legal disputes of recent years about? |
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Marlis Kripke, Oldenburg in Holstein Chair of the Eppendorf SE Works Council
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On 27 January 2025, the SE works council and the central management of Eppendorf agreed on pan-European principles for the socially acceptable restructuring of the company. The agreement came about because the SE works council of the Hamburg-based manufacturer of laboratory equipment exercisedits rights of initiative, which are laid down in the SE participation agreement. Employees in small countries without employee representation can contact the SE works council directly, which has a right of dialogue with central management and can monitor compliance with the principles. |
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Tuesday, 27 January 2026, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
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The new EWC Directive |
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Ralf-Peter Hayen Former head of legal department at the German Trade Union Confederation head office
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Dr Werner Altmeyer Managing Director and Consultant at the EWC Academy
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