Group representation
The group representation is an organ of the workforce in a group. The legal basis is the (Austrian) Labor Constitution Act (ArbVG).
Requirements for the existence of a group
- If legally independent companies are grouped under uniform management for economic purposes, they form a group; the individual companies are group companies.
- If a legally independent company is directly or indirectly under the controlling influence of another company due to participations or otherwise, the controlling and the dependent company are considered together as a group and individually as a group company.
(Section 15 AktG, Section 115 GmbHG)
Establishment of a group agency
In a group in which there are works councils in more than one company , a group representation can be set up to represent the common interests of the employees employed in this group. The group representation is established with the consent of at least two thirds of the central works councils, which together represent more than half of the employees in the group.
Depending on the number of employees represented, the group representation consists of at least two delegates from each central works council set up in the group.
Legal status of the group agency
The group agency's duration of activity is four years.
The powers of the group representation include the sending of employee representatives to the supervisory board of the controlling company, the performance of tasks if the interests of the employees of more than one company in the group are affected as well as the performance of tasks of the group representation of (central) works councils were transferred.
Group youth representation
If youth councils have been set up in more than one company in a group, a group youth council can be set up.
Legal situation in Germany
In Germany, the Group Representation corresponding group works .