German managers embrace – in principle, at least – the concept of Mitbestimmung, or employee representation in the management of the enterprise. But only in Germany. When German companies operate in the US they proactively block any efforts by employees to unionize or otherwise gain any influence in management. This double-standard has drawn criticism to Deutsche Telekom, whose T-Mobile unit in the US has been preventing employees from organizing:
Die Deutsche Telekom steht wegen fehlender Mitbestimmungsrechte ihrer Mitarbeiter in den USA in der Kritik. 15 kalifornische Kongress-Abgeordnete drücken in einem Schreiben an Telekom-Chef René Obermann ihre "große Besorgnis über den beunruhigenden Doppelstandard im Hinblick auf die Arbeitnehmerrechte" aus. Der Brief liegt dem Handelsblatt vor. Anders als in Deutschland, wo die Mehrzahl der Telekom-Mitarbeiter gewerkschaftlich organisiert ist, gibt es bei T USA-Mobile keine Interessenvertretung.
(Deutsche Telekom is being criticized for not acknowledging the co-determination rights of its US employees. Fifteen congressional representatives in California have expressed their "concern for the disturbing double-standard with respect to employment rights" in a letter to Telekom CEO Rene Obermann. The Handelsblatt is in possession of the the letter. Unlike in Germany, where the majority of Telekom employees are unionized, the US employees have no representation.)
T-Mobile used intimidation and threats to prevent union representatives from organizing on T-Mobile premises. This is a common practice by US corporations, but it violates Deutsche Telekom's corporate guidelines.
Die kalifornischen Abgeordneten werfen der Telekom in dem Brief vor, T USA-Mobile habe "aktiv daran gearbeitet, jegliche Gewerkschaftsaktivitäten zu unterbinden". So schildere ein Handbuch aus dem Jahr 2003, wie erste Hinweise auf gewerkschaftliche Aktivitäten frühzeitig erkannt und bekämpft werden könnten. Die US-Abgeordneten fordern, die Telekom solle "eine angemessene und faire Arbeitsbeziehung zwischen T-Mobile und ihren Beschäftigten implementieren, ähnlich der Unternehmenspraxis in Deutschland".
(In their letter, the California representatives accuse Telekom, that its US T-Mobile unit "actively prevented any union activity from taking place." They refer to a 2003 handbood that describes how any signs of union activity can be recognized and combatted. The US representatives demand that the Telekom must "implement an appropriate and fair relationship between T-Mobile and its employees, along the lines of its coporate practices in Germany.")
A comprehensive report on Deutsche Telekom's unfair labor practices in the US can be accessed here(pdf warning). Among the findings:
- In Germany, Deutsche Telekom preaches and practices cooperation with unions and respect for workers’ rights,but in the United States fights vigorously against unionizationand violates workers’ rights.
- DT’s own Social Charter declares the company “in favor of cooperating with legitimate democratic employee representation in an open and trusting manner ”throughout its operations,1 but DT’s U.S. subsidiary engages in conflict and promotes insecurity among its employees.
- Deutsche Telekom’s German executives claim to uphold the labor principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which states that businesses should not “interfere in workers’ decision to associate” or “try to influence their decision in any way.” 2 But T-Mobile USA managers violate both principles with a systematic policy of union avoidance, dissuading employees from joining a union, and interfering with workers’ rights.
