Your rights in the meat industry in Germany

Do you receive a fair wage?

Trained butchers earn between 17-18 euros gross per hour in Germany. 

In Germany, working conditions as well as wages, holiday entitlement, allowances and Christmas bonuses are often regulated by collective agreements. Collective agreements are negotiated between the Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) trade union and the company, and only where workers are organised in the union.
Would you like to know whether your employment is covered by a collective agreement that guarantees higher wages, more holidays, Christmas or holiday bonuses and benefits? You can find out from your works council members, from the NGG trade union or from an advisory centre. Get in touch!

How many hours do you work?

The employer must record your working hours accurately. Nevertheless: Document your working hours yourself and compare them with the
monthly pay slip! You need these records in case of dispute! If something is wrong, contact your trade union or a counselling centre.
According to the law:
• a maximum daily working time of 10 hours (or 48 hours per week)
must not be exceeded;
• you have the right to a break after 6 hours of work at the latest;
• the break must be for recreational purposes only;
• you are entitled to paid leave (at least 4 weeks per year).

Works councils

Important note: All companies with more than 5 employees have the right to elect a works council in Germany! The job of the works council members
is to support employees, monitor compliance with occupational safety and maximum working hours, and ensure that supervisors treat all colleagues
fairly. They can also negotiate works agreements that help improve working conditions for all staff. Find out who in your company is a member of the works council and thus your contact person.
In Germany applies the following:
• that the times you need to change in the cubicle as well as the transit times within the factory (e.g. from the locker room to the assembly line) are
working hours and must be paid (this also applies to preparatory activities, such as sharpening the knives);
• that the cleaning of work clothes is the employer’s responsibility (he may not deduct the cleaning costs from your wages!);
• that for the most part you are entitled to an allowance for night work. 

By law, your employer must provide you with your work, protective or hygiene clothing and work equipment (knives, gloves, etc.). If the employer charges you money for this, you can claim it back!

What to do in case of dismissal ?

A notice of termination must always be given in writing. In addition, a notice period must be observed.
Termination without notice can have negative effects on your unemployment benefit claim. You do not have to sign a notice of termination handed to you by the employer!
Note that if your employer asks you to sign a document, it may be a self-termination, which you should not sign under any circumstances! The same applies to documents on which you read the word “termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag)”, do not sign that either!
Contact your trade union or a advisory centre immediately if you have received a notice of termination! You only have 3 weeks from receipt of the dismissal to defend yourself against it!

How is your accomodation?

Your accommodation must meet certain standards and must not be unreasonably expensive.
If you are threatened with termination of your accommodation or even forced eviction, contact an advisory centre quickly or call the police
immediately (110)! You do not have to leave your accommodation overnight if it makes you homeless! Many company flats have a three-month notice
period, during which time you are allowed to stay in the flat. Quitting your job alone is often not enough to terminate your flat contract!

Do you want to learn German?

Do you know about the possibility of attending a subsidised German language course in your area?
This is often possible. Find out more!

Find out about your rights early on and contact us! Our counselling is free of charge and confidential.

Trade unions stand up for the rights of workers. They also stand up for your rights even if you come from another country. We want you to be able to work in Germany under fair conditions!
Contact us if you have any questions about your rights!
 

Industry coordinator for the meat industry at Faire Mobilität

Anna Szot
Telefon + 49 151 15653087
szot@faire-mobilitaet.de
 

Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG)

(German Food and Catering Union)
Headquarters
Haubachstr. 76, 22765 Hamburg
Telephone: +49 40 380130
Fax: +49 40 3892637
Email: hauptverwaltung@ngg.net
www.ngg.net

Faire Mobilität – Advice and counselling for workers from Central and Eastern Europe

www.faire-mobilitaet.de
kontakt@faire-mobilitaet.de

If you have a labour law problem at your workplace in Germany
contact the free hotline of Faire Mobilität:

• Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  0800 0005776 / upit@faire-mobilitaet.de
• Bulgarian
  0800 1014341 / konsultacia@faire-mobilitaet.de
• Czech
  poradenstvi@faire-mobilitaet.de
• Hungarian
  0800 0005614 / tanacsadas@faire-mobilitaet.de
• Polish
  0800 0005780 / doradztwo@faire-mobilitaet.de
• Romanian
  0800 0005602 / consiliere@faire-mobilitaet.de

You can find labour-law information in your language under
www.fair-arbeiten.eu
For a direct contact to one of our advisory centres please go to:
www.faire-mobilitaet.de/beratungsstellen