Federal Employers' Association for Glass and Solar

The Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar e.V. (BAGV GLAS+SOLAR), rendered in English as the Federal Employers' Association for Glass and Solar, is the German employers' organisation for the glass and solar industries. Headquartered in Munich, it is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) whose statutory purpose is to safeguard, promote and represent the social-policy, collective-bargaining and labour-law interests of its member companies. It is not a manufacturer or an energy producer; it is a trade association and social partner that negotiates collective agreements and provides legal, social and labour-market services to employers in the glass and solar sectors. The association traces its origins to 1946, when 48 glass-industry companies founded the "Verein der Glasindustrie in Bayern" in Munich. It acquired the legal capacity to conclude collective agreements (Tariffähigkeit) in 1947 and progressively extended its activities across Germany, absorbing regional and supra-regional associations. In 1990 it was renamed "Arbeitgeberverband der Glasindustrie" (AGV), and in 2010 it took its present name, "Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar e.V. (BAGV GLAS+SOLAR)", reflecting the addition of a solar division in 2008. Since 2005, organisations close to the glass industry — such as company health-insurance funds and glass technical schools — have also been able to join, and since 2011 membership without collective-bargaining obligation has been possible. BAGV GLAS+SOLAR organises its members into five main groups: members with collective-bargaining obligation, subdivided into hollow-glass production (including furnace finishing and processing), flat-glass and glass-fibre production, glass finishing and processing, and solar; and members without collective-bargaining obligation. Its central opinion-forming bodies are the collective-bargaining committee and the social committee, which coordinate labour-law, collective-bargaining and social-policy matters. The board comprises the president, the chairs of the main groups and their deputies, and the chief executive. A members' assembly is held every second year. The association's core competences include negotiating and concluding collective agreements — covering pay, framework conditions, working time, holiday, old-age provision, special payments and partial retirement — and providing legal representation for members before labour, social and administrative courts throughout Germany. Its principal counterpart on the trade-union side is the Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IG BCE). It also offers mediation, support in works-council negotiations, works agreements, conciliation proceedings, restructuring and social-plan negotiations, and vocational training courses. As a specialised peak association it is a direct member of the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) and participates in bodies such as the Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft, the Verband der Bayerischen Wirtschaft, and the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. It also contributes to the modernisation of nationally recognised industry training occupations and conducts statistical surveys among members on personnel-policy topics. In October 2015 the association counted 127 members; by May 2023 it had 116 member companies with a total of roughly 35,000 employees.

The Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar e.V. (BAGV GLAS+SOLAR) was founded in 1946 in Munich as the "Verein der Glasindustrie in Bayern" by 48 companies of the glass industry, with the aim of representing the social-policy and economic-policy interests of employers in the glass sector. In 1947 it acquired the legal capacity to conclude collective agreements (Tariffähigkeit), extended its activities to further federal states, and changed its name to "Verein der Glasindustrie". Between 1949 and 1958 various regional and supra-regional associations were affiliated, including the Verband der Glasindustrie in Hessen, the Interessengemeinschaft Glasindustrie in Wertheim, and the Fachverband Hohlglasverarbeitung und -veredelung. In 1964 the association's activities were extended to the whole federal territory. In 1985 it took over all social-policy matters while transferring economic-policy activity to the Bundesverband Glasindustrie. In 1990 it was renamed "Arbeitgeberverband der Glasindustrie" (AGV), and members of the "Verband der Glasindustrie in der DDR" joined the AGV; with German reunification, almost all glass-industry firms in the new federal states applied for membership at the beginning of 1991. In 2005 membership was opened to organisations close to the glass industry, such as company health-insurance funds, glass technical schools and other associations. In 2008 the additional main group "Solar" was formed. In 2010 the association adopted its current name, "Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar e.V. (BAGV GLAS+SOLAR)", reflecting the broadening of its scope beyond glass to solar. In 2011 the possibility of membership without collective-bargaining obligation was introduced in the statutes. By October 2015 the association counted 127 members; by May 2023 it had 116 member companies with a total of roughly 35,000 employees. Today the association is headquartered in Munich and acts as the professional association for the German glass and solar industries. Its statutory task is to safeguard, promote and represent the interests of its members in social-policy, collective-bargaining and labour-law matters. It organises members into five main groups: members with collective-bargaining obligation (subdivided into hollow-glass production including furnace finishing and processing; flat-glass and glass-fibre production; glass finishing and processing; and solar) and members without collective-bargaining obligation. Its central opinion-forming bodies are the collective-bargaining committee and the social committee; the board consists of the president, the chairs of the main groups and their deputies, and the chief executive, and a members' assembly is held every second year. Its core activities include negotiating and concluding collective agreements (on pay, framework conditions, working time, holiday, old-age provision, special payments and partial retirement), legal representation of members before labour, social and administrative courts throughout Germany, support in negotiations with works councils and trade unions, participation in works agreements, conciliation proceedings, restructuring and social-plan negotiations, and vocational further-training courses. It offers mediation as a cooperative approach to conflicts between employees and superiors, between works council and management, or among employees. As a specialised peak association it is a direct member of the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) and is represented on its board and committees; it also participates in the Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft, the Verband der Bayerischen Wirtschaft, the Deutsche Rentenversicherung and other networks. It contributes to the modernisation and reorganisation of nationally recognised industry training occupations, coordinating with IG BCE in a joint vocational training council, and conducts statistical surveys among members on personnel-policy topics such as demographic change and skills retention.

• 2023

  In May the association had 116 member companies with a total of roughly 35,000 employees.

• 2015

  In October the association counted 127 members.

• 2011

  Membership without collective-bargaining obligation introduced in the statutes.

• 2010

  Renamed "Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar e.V. (BAGV GLAS+SOLAR)".

• 2008

  The additional main group "Solar" was formed.

• 2005

  Membership opened to organisations close to the glass industry, such as company health-insurance funds and glass technical schools.

• 1991

  With German reunification, almost all glass-industry firms in the new federal states applied for membership at the beginning of the year.

• 1990

  Renamed "Arbeitgeberverband der Glasindustrie" (AGV); members of the "Verband der Glasindustrie in der DDR" joined.

• 1985

  Took over all social-policy matters; economic-policy activity transferred to the Bundesverband Glasindustrie.

• 1964

  Association activities extended to the whole federal territory.

• 1949

  Beginning of a period (1949–1958) during which various regional and supra-regional associations were affiliated.

• 1947

  Acquired the legal capacity to conclude collective agreements (Tariffähigkeit); activities extended to further federal states; renamed "Verein der Glasindustrie".

• 1946

  Founded in Munich as "Verein der Glasindustrie in Bayern" by 48 glass-industry companies.

Specialised peak employers' association and social partner for the German glass and solar industries, combining collective-bargaining strength with legal, social-policy and training services for member companies.

• Collective agreements

  Negotiation and conclusion of collective agreements covering pay, framework conditions, working time, holiday, old-age provision, special payments and partial retirement.

• Legal representation

  Representation of members before labour, social and administrative courts throughout Germany, including statutory preliminary proceedings.

• Mediation

  Cooperative conflict-resolution approach for conflicts between employees and superiors, between works council and management, or among employees.

• Works agreement templates and exchange platform

  Best-practice exchange platform providing works agreement templates and an exclusive download area for members.

• Whistleblower system framework

  Framework agreement with Ratisbona Compliance GmbH enabling members to set up an internal reporting office under the Whistleblower Protection Act.

• Employee assistance programme (EAP) framework

  Exclusive framework agreement with the Fürstenberg Institut for executive and employee counselling.

• Apprenticeship portal "Zukunft im Glas"

  Portal where member companies can place apprenticeship advertisements free of charge to attract young talent.

• Project "Arbeitswelt Glas – zukunftsfähig gestalten"

  Project providing members with practical aids; publications on working-time design and health have been published.

1. 1BAGV GLAS+SOLAR official websitebagv.de
2. 2Meilensteine und Entwicklungen | Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar e.V.bagv.de
3. 3Bundesarbeitgeberverband Glas und Solar – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
4. 4Federal Employers’ Association for Glass and Solar – Wikidatawikidata.org