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Daimler World Works Council elects new leadership

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24 July, 2014A new leadership for the Daimler AG World Employee Committee (also known as World Works Council) has been constituted following a meeting in Germany.

In addition to the official members, including IndustriALL Global Union, representatives from Turkey, Argentina, Indonesia and India also attended the meeting at the end of May 2014.

Workers from six countries are now represented in the World Employee Committee (WEC) at the German multinational car manufacturer. They are Germany, USA, Japan, Brazil, South Africa and Spain. The WEC has 13 members in total.

The WEC elected Michael Brecht, head of Daimler’s works council as Chairman and Gary Casteel, Vice President of the UAW, was elected Vice Chairman.

Brecht, who was also voted in as Chairman of the European Works Council, said:

“This meeting of employee representatives from countries all over the world sends

a clear signal: We want to strengthen our international co-operation. The Daimler management pursues its globalization strategy very resolutely. We will do the same in the World Employee Committee and European Works Council and make sure that workers and their representatives also strengthen their ties across boards.”

Gary Casteel, Vice Chairman of the World Employee Committee, said: “Daimler is an outstanding company with outstanding co-determination structures. I’m honoured to assume a leading role in the World Employee Committee. Together we will engage to make Daimler a model for the worldwide recognition of worker rights.”

A World Works Council or World Employee Committee is an agreement with the company about a representation body where union delegates or Works Council members from almost all major production sites worldwide come together, normally once a year.

The company has to pay for this meeting and also to report on international issues such as development of employment, investment, opening or closing of sites, and shifts in production.