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Netzwerk Landtechnik EN - Aims and Activities

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Project activities

Based on national reports and inquiries on sectoral and labour-related framework conditions in several European countries our project will focus on the following aims:

Exchange of information on company structures, conditions of employee interest representation, collective bargaining etc.

Improving our knowledge: Elaboration of a „European Map Agricultural Machinery “ (sector study)

Strengthening employee interest representation and trade union practice: By learning from good practice in individual companies as well as orientations and demands of trade unions regarding industrial development

Networking and mutual support: Launch of a continuous exchange of information and joint resources (web site, trade union manual etc.)

The need for European wide networking
The network agricultural technology was created in 1996, at a time when the European Union did not have 27 member states, but had just going through a small enlargement round from 12 to 15 member states (Austria, Finland, Sweden becoming EU members in 1995) and the process of the eastern enlargement had just began.Ever since did the process of increasing international corporate structures also determine the agricultural technology industry, more specifically in two different ways:

German companies established even stronger international cooperation. Today, not only sales but also production and the added value chain are organised transnational. That is why the employees do not only face competition from the German market, but are also benchmarked against competitors in other EU countries.

At the same time, multinational companies play an increasingly important role within the agricultural technology industry through mergers, acquisition and newly opened branches. For our colleagues working at Kverneland (Norway), John Deere (the USA) or CNH (Italy) a strong influence on management decisions will only be possible, if you co-operate with your colleagues in other countries.

That is why closer cooperation with colleagues from other countries already for several years was a logical step for the network: Co-operation with colleagues in Austria has existed for a long time and has been intensified throughout the last years.Here, we can benefit from the common language, which might be in other cases the largest barrier for international co-operation and exchange of experience beyond borders.

Nevertheless, this cooperation is nowadays more important than ever before:

The Eastern enlargement of the EU led to a new stage of transnationall organised added value chains

Supplier relations and also the relocation of production sites have contributed to a new dimension for many companies

China as a new player in the global market economy has added to the pressure on European locations, no matter if “old “ or “new” member states

Everybody knows from your own experience that interests representation and trade union policy can no longer be defined exclusively on a national level.Works councils and trade unions have to better organise themselves and exchange experience on a transnational level.