The Working Conditions in

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Case Studies: Hong Kong: Café de Coral Germany: Deutsche Bahn

The Role of Government The Role of EmployersThe Role of EmployeesComparison and Conclusion

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•one of the biggest fast food chain in Hong Kong

•Hourly wage rise by HKD 2 – HKD 5

•Forfeit of 45-minute paid meal breaks

•Café de Coral new pay scale crucial for the new minimum wage law

•Public immoral act

•Boycott

•Measure withdrawnWong Man Yee 07010257

October 26th, 2010. 1,700 railway staffs,organized by the industry

unions Transnet and German Railway Civil Servants and Trainees (GDBA)

union TRANSNET: striking for a wage agreement for the whole sector

Deutsche Bahn: these strikes are inappropriate The unions ended the strike

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GERMANY

Main Goal: “policy of full employment“

(“Vollbeschäftigung“) Duty: to control the

rate of unemployment of the working population under

1 ％ The Federal Labour

Court

HONG KONG

Main Goal: to enhance the economic development

Duty: to address the manpower needs of the business sector, foster employment, protect labour rights through legislation

The Labour and Welfare Bureau

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GERMANY

Collective Decision three major groups

formed by the employers:

BDI: Federation of German Industry

BDA:Confederation of German Employers

DIHK: Federation of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce

HONG KONG

Individual Decision the employers adjust

and determine the wages and the other welfares of the employees individually according to the economic conditions

no collective groups of employers to deal with the labour unions

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Germany Hong KongParticipation rate of workers

high low

Negotiation power high low

Coverage of the benefits

Whole sector(collective benefits)

Usually company-oriented

Major labor unions The German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB)

-Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU)-The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU)

Works council In medium size and big enterprises

Very rare

Co-determination at managerial level

For example in joint stock companies (AG), limited partnerships on shares (KGaA), limited companies (GmbH)

Very rare

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Termination of Employment

Germany Hong KongEmployer obliged to consult the works council before every case of dismissal

Termination without proper hearing of the works council is ineffective

Termination should be socially justified

Power of decision lies with the employers.

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Germany:

Government: Policy of Full Employment

Employers & Employees:

Collective Agreement,

Codetermination,

Participation of Employees

Hong Kong

Government: Give the Authority to the Markt

Employers & Employees:

Individual Decisions

Flexibility Xin Yuchen 07051468