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| German Association of School Employers | |
|---|---|
| Name | German Association of School Employers |
| Native name | Deutscher Arbeitgeberverband Schule |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Headquarters | Berlin |
| Region served | Germany |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | (see Organization and Membership) |
German Association of School Employers is an association representing the interests of employers in the public and private school sector in Germany. It engages with trade unions, ministries, local authorities, and international bodies to negotiate collective agreements, advise on employment law, and advocate for policy affecting teachers, administrators, and support staff. The association participates in labor disputes, social partnership forums, and education policy consultations across federal states such as Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Berlin, and Hesse.
The association traces roots to employer federations active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries alongside organizations like Confederation of German Employers' Associations and Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, evolving through Weimar era interactions with the German Labour Front and post‑1945 reconstruction with contact to the Allied Control Council and Bizonal economic administration. In the 1950s and 1960s it engaged with federal institutions including the Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany) and the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany to shape teacher employment frameworks. Its modern form adapted amid reunification after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the actions of the Federal Republic of Germany to harmonize public service conditions with actors such as Ver.di and Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft. Major episodes include negotiations during the German reunification period, disputes concurrent with reforms like the Hartz reforms, and engagement in EU‑level discussions involving the European Commission and the Council of Europe.
The association is structured as a federation of member bodies drawn from municipal employers, private school operators, and state education authorities comparable to bodies such as Kommunalverband, Verband der privaten Schulen, Association of German Cities, and trade chambers like IHK. Leadership has included figures with backgrounds in institutions like the Federal Employment Agency (Germany), regional ministries such as the Ministry of Education (Bavaria), and legal advisors from firms linked to the Bundesgerichtshof and Bundesverfassungsgericht. Membership categories mirror those of employer organizations such as the Employers' Association of the Metal and Electrical Industry with full members, associate members, and observer institutions from universities like Humboldt University of Berlin and research institutes like the German Institute for International Educational Research. The governing board often coordinates with representatives from municipal associations including the German Association of Cities, provincial cabinets such as the State Chancellery (North Rhine-Westphalia), and nonprofit actors like the Bertelsmann Stiftung.
The association represents employer interests in negotiations with unions including GEW (Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft), Ver.di, and sectoral bodies such as Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder. It advises members on interpretation of statutes like the Civil Service Law (Beamtenrecht), pension arrangements referencing the Deutsche Rentenversicherung, and collective contract implementation analogous to frameworks used by the Deutsche Bahn and Telekom. Operational responsibilities include issuing model employment contracts similar to those of the German Association of the Public Sector (dbb) and providing legal counsel in proceedings before institutions such as the Labor Court (Arbeitsgericht) and the Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht). It also offers training programs in collaboration with entities like the Hertie School and consulting networks such as McKinsey & Company and Bertelsmann Stiftung initiatives.
The association conducts collective bargaining with unions representing educators and school staff, engaging in protocols reminiscent of those used by the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and employer federations like the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände. Negotiations have addressed pay scales linked to standards like the TVöD and employment conditions paralleling settlements in sectors represented by IG Metall and Ver.di; disputes have led to strikes organized by unions such as GEW and arbitration before mediators akin to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The association participates in tripartite forums with representatives from the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund and state ministries, and coordinates cross‑sector approaches with bodies like the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik.
The association advocates on legislative and regulatory issues before parliaments and ministries including the Bundestag, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and state cabinets. It submits position papers to committees similar to the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment (Bundestag) and lobbies alongside think tanks such as the Max Planck Society, Stiftung Mercator, and Kronberger Kreis. Its policy agenda has intersected with reforms driven by actors like the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and European initiatives from the European Commission and OECD, and it engages in public discourse via media outlets such as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Der Spiegel, and broadcasting services like Deutsche Welle.
Funding streams derive from membership subscriptions, service fees for legal and HR consultancy, and income from training programs similar to revenue models of the German Employers' Federation. The association receives no direct payments comparable to budget lines of ministries such as the Federal Ministry of Finance (Germany), but may contract with public bodies for advisory work as seen in partnerships between municipal employers and institutions like the KfW. Financial oversight is managed by an executive committee and audited in manners akin to corporate governance standards applied by entities like Deutsche Börse and nonprofit auditors including KPMG Germany.
Critics have targeted the association for positions contested by unions such as GEW and political parties like Die Linke, SPD, and policy groups within CDU and Greens. Disputes have arisen over austerity measures echoing debates around the Hartz reforms and privatization controversies similar to disputes involving Berlin school reforms and municipal budget cuts in cities like Leipzig and Hamburg. Legal challenges have been brought before courts such as the Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) and political scrutiny has occurred in parliamentary hearings with committees of the Bundestag.