Uni-Tübingen

Representation of Employee Concerns

Staff councils are staff representatives in public sector institutions, including the University of Tübingen. The legal basis for the staff council's activities is the Landespersonalvertretungsgesetz (LPVG – state staff representation act) of Baden-Württemberg. This law regulates all rights, duties and procedures that staff council members and their respective management must observe in matters of staff representation law. This joint obligation is defined by § 2 (1) LPVG:

“The public sector institution and the staff representation shall cooperate in a spirit of partnership and trust in accordance with the laws and collective agreements and in cooperation with the trade unions and employers' associations represented in the respective institution for the benefit of the employees and for the fulfilment of the tasks incumbent upon the respective institution.” (Translation not legally binding)

The members of the staff council are elected every five years by the employees, most recently in July of 2019. They represent all staff from the groups of salaried employees and civil servants. This does not include professors, guest lecturers and staff employed by external companies at the university. Academic staff can only be advised on certain issues; the LPVG restricts the codetermination rights of the staff council (e.g. in questions of hiring). The staff council is to be involved in hiring, except for fixed-term positions for academic staff. Student employees are also represented by the staff council, whether they are part-time employees covered by collective agreements (Tarifvertrag) or student and scientific assistants.

The University of Tübingen has one staff council for all areas with 24 members. The University Hospital has its own staff council.

In addition, the employees of the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg elect a main staff council (Hauptpersonalrat), which is responsible for matters on the state level that go beyond the scope of an individual public sector institution (such as the university). Also, if the local staff council is unable to reach an agreement with the university, it may be possible to refer the disputed matter to the “Stufenvertretung”. The main staff council then negotiates the case directly with the ministry. An arbitration board chaired by an independent judge can be called upon in certain cases, if no agreement is reached.

The staff council consists of elected representatives of salaried employees and civil servants. It meets regularly to discuss problems or proposed motions and to pass resolutions, which are then implemented by the chairperson or the executive committee of the staff council. As part of the spirit of partnership and trust, the staff council members and university management meet regularly to discuss controversial matters and exchange information.

The names of the 24 staff council members can be found on our homepage.

General tasks of the staff council include

  • Measures in support of in-house, social or personal concerns of employees
  • Monitoring the implementation of laws, regulations, collective agreements (Tarifverträge), bylaws (Dienstvereinbarungen) and administrative orders (Verwaltungsanordnungen) for the benefit of employees
  • Hearing suggestions and complaints from employees and negotiating with university management to resolve them (if they appear justified)

Matters of participation and codetermination

The staff council has the right to codetermination (Mitbestimmung), participation (Mitwirkung) or consultation (Anhörung) in many of the university’s activities, for example by negotiating a bylaw. Here are a few examples of cases for codetermination:

  • hiring and review of salary group (Eingruppierung)
  • changes in salary group
  • termination of employment
  • arrangement of working hours
  • measures to prevent accidents at work and other harm to health and safety
  • workplace design
  • measures to enhance work performance and streamline work processes
  • introduction of fundamentally new work methods
  • regulating order and organisation in the university and conduct of staff