Radtour strengthens the exchange: the focus on healthcare industry!

Radtour strengthens the exchange: the focus on healthcare industry!

Cottbus, Deutschland - An exciting bike tour that took place from May 23 to 26, 2025 brought committed works councils and employees from the healthcare industry and promoted the important exchange with each other. The tour was organized by the district association Spree-Neiße, which planned the route from Cottbus via Forst and Guben to Frankfurt (Oder), about 170 kilometers. What sounds like a sporting challenge at first glance turned out to be a valuable opportunity to network and discuss central topics in the health sector.

A particularly remarkable highlight of the tour was the open conversation with the works council representatives of the Spremberg hospital. Visits to the Lausitzklinik Forst and in the Naemi-Wilke-Stift Guben underlined the importance of personal exchange on site. Important topics such as the work situation of the employees and the cooperation with the Medical University of Lusatia “Carl Thiem” (MUL-C) were discussed here. These direct conversations are of crucial importance in order to be able to react even more effectively to the challenges in the industry, according to the tenor among the participants.

The role of the works council and union

In Germany, works councils and unions play a central role in the advocacy of employees. Both institutions are committed to protecting the rights and interests of the employees. But where are the exact differences and similarities?

works councils are the elected representatives of a workforce within a company. You have the right to work on decision -making processes that affect working conditions, working hours and remuneration. The Works Constitution Act (BetrVG) regulates the participation rights of the works councils, which often work closely with the unions in order to represent the interests of their colleagues. The regular training and advisory services that works councils receive from the unions are particularly important. This cooperation ensures that both sides can benefit from each other and pursue their common goals more efficiently, such as Smart-br.net.

unions, on the other hand, act on a inter -company level and are responsible for collective bargaining. They are committed to the interests of a certain industry or professional group and can initiate a dispute settlement procedure, for example in the form of strikes. Another important aspect is the support of the members in legal matters. While the works council works inside a company, the union is focused on acting at a broader level and, for example, negotiating collective agreements.

exchange as the key to success

The knowledge from the bike tour illustrates how indispensable the direct contact between works councils and unions is for a successful advocacy. Synergies are created through close cooperation, which not only improves communication within the workforce, but also increases employee satisfaction and motivation. In the future, an event is planned after the summer vacation, which should enable further discussions and the exchange between the DGB district association Spree-Neiße and the works councils of the three hospitals. The focus here is on the work situation of employees and strategic cooperation with the Medical University of Lausitz.

This committed network of works councils and unions shows that the exchange and cooperation are not only important, but can actually move something. Especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers, it is crucial that the votes of the employees are heard and their needs are taken into account in the decision -making processes.