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US government calls out Deutsche Telekom over union busting

The US House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor has reportedly sent a letter to the head of Deutsche Telekom asking him to address their concerns over the company’s policy on unions for its operations in America.

US government calls out Deutsche Telekom over union busting
Photo: DPA

“We are writing to express our deep concern about reports that your company practices a double standard toward American workers when it comes to respecting their labor rights,” according to the letter to René Obermann obtained by financial weekly Manager Magazin said on Tuesday.

The letter goes on to cite a December 2009 report by non-profit advocacy organisation American Rights at Work, which allegedly documented a systematic campaign by T-Mobile USA and parent company Deutsche Telekom to prevent US employees from forming unions.

“The company respects workers’ rights in Germany, where it cooperates closely with unions, but mistreats workers in the United States and interferes with their right to organize,” a press statement by the organisation said when the study was released.

The letter from all 26 politicians on the US congressional committee insisted that Obermann ensure workers are allowed to exercise their rights without interference, and inform them of his actions to see this through.

“When this freedom is curtailed, our economy suffers,” the letter read.

According to Manager Magazin, US union Communications Workers of America (CWA) is already working on filing a lawsuit against Deutsche Telekom through the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has also allegedly sent a letter to Obermann about union complaints, the magazine said.

The Bonn-based company responded to the most recent pressure by telling Manager Magazin that labour laws are different in every country.

“In every country we deal with our workers fairly and correctly,” a spokesperson said, adding that US employees were free to form unions, but not to gather on T-Mobile USA property.

Meanwhile on Monday Obermann defended the company’s poor performance in the United States, admitting that the company wasn’t “fully satisfied” with growth, but insisting it was committed to its operations there, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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