Bike tour for the exchange: Health situation in Lausitz in focus!

Bike tour for the exchange: Health situation in Lausitz in focus!

Cottbus, Deutschland - In Lusatia, the exchange between works councils and employees is very important. From May 23 to 26, 2025, a bike tour took place, which was organized by the Spree-Neisse district association. The aim of this tour was to promote a direct dialogue with colleagues from the healthcare industry. The route led via Cottbus, Forst and Guben to Frankfurt (Oder). In total, the participants covered around 170 kilometers along the Oder-Neiße peace border.

One of the highlights was the open conversation with works council representatives in the Spremberg hospital. In addition, visits took place in the Lausitzklinik Forst and in the Naemi-Wilke-Stift Guben. These encounters led to valuable findings: The direct exchange on site is of enormous importance for cooperation between employees and works councils.

collaboration as a key

The event laid the foundation for a planned meeting after the summer vacation. Here the DGB district associations Spree-Neisse and the works councils of the three hospitals presented will meet in order to discuss burning topics. Above all, the work situation of the employees and the cooperation with the Medical University of Lausitz "Carl Thiem" in Cottbus are on the agenda.

The world of work is constantly changing, and it is important in the healthcare industry that employees are well represented. Works councils and unions are central institutions of employee representatives in Germany. Their common goal is to keep the interests of the employees and to recognize legal violations. Works councils act as a link by representing the interests of the employees and are involved in decisions on working conditions, working hours, remuneration and vacation regulations. In addition, you can provide important information and actively participate in social and economic matters, as described in detail on Smart-BR.

a strong duo: union and works council

During the works council, the union acts at industry or even national level. The differences could not be clearer: the works council is a chosen representation of the employees of a company, while unions represent a inter -company organization. However, both have a common goal: improving working conditions and the protection of the rights of the employees. Through the collaboration, both parties can act more effectively and benefit from each other. Works councils have access to the expert knowledge of the unions, which support through training and advisory services. These synergies make a decisive contribution to promoting the work morality, motivation and satisfaction of the employees.

The cooperation between the works council and the union has not only a direct impact on the workforce, but also on the entire industry. Such networks are indispensable, especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers. An example of this is the IG Metall, which has an enormous know-how with over 24,000 companies, from which the company representatives can only benefit, as noted on [ibp magazine] (https://ibp-magazin.de/unterschiede- between-betriebsrat-und-kunzekerkschaft/).