Germany: Occupational unions oppose reinstatement of "one plant - one agreement" principle

Six independent occupational trade unions pledged in August 2010 to jointly fight any legislation to reverse a recent court ruling on collective agreements that has strengthened their position in relation to Germany's mainstream union movement.

In a ruling issued in June 2010, the Federal Labour Court overturned the long-standing legal principle - known as "collective bargaining unity" or "one plant - one agreement" - that only one collective agreement may apply at any workplace.