tarifwerke

Tarifwerke are structured sets of wage and working-condition rules negotiated within Germany’s system of collective bargaining. They function as the wage framework within which employees are classified into pay groups and steps, with defined salary ranges and progression. A Tarifwerk typically includes the Entgeltordnung (pay scale), specifying the wage groups and corresponding remuneration, along with rules on working time, overtime, vacations, allowances, shift premiums, and apprenticeship provisions. It may also cover classification criteria, career progression, and certain bonuses.

Tarifwerke are created through collective bargaining between trade unions and employers’ associations and are legally binding for the signatory parties and their members. Their scope can be industry-wide, sector-specific, regional, or company-level, and applicability may extend to non-signatory employers through legal extensions (Tarifbindung). The content and rules are renegotiated at regular intervals, commonly every two to five years, to reflect economic changes and living costs.

In practice, Tarifwerke are the main instrument for translating a Tarifvertrag into a concrete pay framework. They complement broader agreements by detailing the wage groups and the associated obligations. Critics say they can contribute to sectoral fragmentation, while supporters credit them with predictability and standardized working conditions.

Examples include tarifwerke in the metal and electrical industries, the public sector (which uses a distinct framework such as TVöD), and various service sectors. See also Tarifvertrag, Entgeltgruppe, Entgeltordnung, Arbeitszeit.