Staff Shortages and Digital Overhaul Drive Training Push for German Works Councils

With public-sector job cuts looming and a new workplace safety law in effect, unions launch a major training offensive for works council members starting June 2026.

Germany’s works councils — the elected employee representatives in public-sector bodies and private firms — are navigating a period of intense pressure. With looming staff cuts of at least eight percent by 2029 under the coalition agreement, a wave of retirements leaving 600,000 positions unfilled across the public service, and new rules governing workplace safety that took effect on 29 May 2026, the unions have rolled out an extensive training programme aimed at equipping newly and re-elected council members for the challenges ahead.

The qualification offensive, organised by the ver.di-affiliated Bildungswerk and IG Metall, begins in June 2026. In Lower Saxony, the first courses launched on 8 June 2026, covering the state’s Personnel Representation Act (NPersVG) and the federal Works Constitution Act. Venues include Hannover, Walsrode and Undeloh. Specialised seminars tackle the economic committee, labour law and representation for severely disabled employees (SBV).

The schedule runs deep into late summer. From 3 August 2026, offerings in the Weser-Ems region — Aurich, Bad Zwischenahn and online — focus on modern workplace challenges: artificial intelligence, and collective agreements such as TVöD and TV-L. From 30 August 2026, educational holidays on the North Sea islands of Langeoog and Spiekeroog cover stress management, sustainability and legal strategies against hate speech.

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The training push comes as works councils report being overwhelmed by operational fallout from chronic understaffing. Just weeks ago, the staff council at the Federal Chancellery warned that planned job cuts threaten service quality. Ver.di deputy leader Christine Behle called the cuts misguided, pointing to the 600,000 vacancies. The Interior Ministry countered that councils lack a mandate to negotiate tariff policy, but employee representatives insist the shortages directly affect day-to-day operations.

In Hannover, the city administration has signalled support for the councils. Mayor Belit Onay this week welcomed more than 70 newly elected council members at an IG Metall event. The union is also organising a major conference for newcomers; registration closes on 30 June 2026, with the goal of networking and team-building among representatives.

The newly elected councils begin their terms under a changed legal framework. An amendment to the Social Code (SGB VII) regarding safety officers, passed by the Bundestag in spring, entered force on 29 May 2026. The key changes:

• 20 to 50 employees: Safety officers required only where specific hazards exist
• 50 to 250 employees: At least one safety officer mandatory
• Over 250 employees: Specific criteria from the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) apply

These regulatory shifts coincide with active labour disputes. On 4 and 5 June 2026, ver.di called nationwide strikes in retail and wholesale, demanding a seven-percent wage increase. In the printing industry, negotiations covering about 99,000 workers begin on 6 July 2026 in Berlin; the peace obligation ends on 31 August 2026.