Betriebsrats

A Betriebsrat (works council) is the legally mandated body that represents employees in a German company or establishment. It is elected under the Betriebsverfassungsgesetz (BVG) and serves as the official channel for employee participation in workplace affairs. While the term Betriebsrat is common, the plural is Betriebsräte and the genitive singular des Betriebsrats; the article focuses on the council as an institution.

In establishments with a minimum number of permanent employees (five is the threshold for forming a council), employees elect a Betriebsrat for a four-year term. Elections are held by secret ballot and universal suffrage, and most regular employees are eligible to stand or vote; managers and some executives are typically excluded from candidacy.

The works council has information and consultation rights and, in many matters, co-determination rights (Mitbestimmung). In social and personnel matters—such as working time, breaks, vacations, recruitment, transfers, and dismissal protection for council members—the employer must consult with the council and often obtain its consent. In economic matters, the council may have a role in the planning and implementation of significant changes, depending on the specific legal rules, and disputes can be resolved through predefined procedures.

From an organizational perspective, the council may form committees and appoint a chairperson. In larger groups or at corporate level, it can be complemented by Gesamtbetriebsräte or works agreements (Betriebsvereinbarungen) with the employer. Overall, the Betriebsrat is a central instrument of German industrial relations, designed to balance management prerogatives with employee participation within the framework of the BVG.