Wie mensch während COVID-19 nicht pleitegeht

Posted on 23/03/2020 by Critical Workers

Critical Workers berät seit 3 Jahren Arbeiter_innen in Berlin. Im Zuge der COVID/Corona-Situation erreichen uns immer mehr Nachrichten von Entlassungen oder Entlassungsdrohungen. Um die Betroffenen grundlegend zu unterstützen, haben wir eine Liste mit arbeitsrechtlichen Fragen und Antworten erstellt, die im Moment von besonderer Relevanz sind. Es gibt sie auch auf Englisch, Italienisch und Spanisch.
Diese potentiellen Lösungen sind nach den folgenden Kategorien untergliedert: abhängige Beschäftigte, Minijobber_innen oder irreguläre Arbeiter_innen e Selbstständige.
Diese Liste ist weder endgültig noch vollständig. Jede Rückmeldung oder Korrektur ist willkommen! Bitte schreibt uns euer Feedback.
Da Arbeit zwar wichtig aber nicht alles im Leben ist, gibt es hier auch ein paar Informationen für das Außenrum.
Solidarität ist unsere stärkste Waffe! Redet mit eurem Vermieter. Verbindet euch mit euren Kolleg_innen, Freund_innen, Kiezgruppen oder lokalen Politgruppen, sucht den Kontakt zu Beratungsstellen und helft euren Nachbar_innen.
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Come non andare in bancarotta durante COVID-19

Posted on 18/03/2020 by Critical Workers

Critical Workers porta avanti uno sportello per lavoratori a Berlino da oltre 3 anni.
A causa dell’emergenza COVID, minacce e licenziamenti sono all’ordine del giorno.
Per fornire un supporto di base, abbiamo fatto una lista di soluzioni pratiche e utili per coloro che non hanno familiarità con le leggi sul lavoro tedesche. La trovate anche in inglese, Spagnolo e Tedesco.
La lista è suddivisa in categorie: Lavoratori dipendenti, Minijobber o lavoratori irregolari e Autonomi.
Questo elenco non è né definitivo né completo. Qualsiasi feedback o correzione è benvenuta!
Contattateci!
Il lavoro non è tutto nella vita; qui troverete anche un alcune soluzioni informali.
La solidarietà è la nostra arma più forte! Parla con il tuo padrone di casa e mettiti in contatto con i colleghi, parla con i tuoi amici e con il tuo gruppo antirazzista locale, aiuta i tuoi vicini e contatta altri sporelli di aiuto.
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Posted in General, Ita | 1 Comment

Cómo no irse a la quiebra por el COVID-19

Posted on 18/03/2020 by Critical Workers

Critical Workers ha estado asesorando a l*s trabajador*s de Berlín durante los últimos 3 años.
Debido a la emergencia de COVID más que nunca los jefes están amenazando y despidiendo a l*s trabajadores.
Para ofrecer informaciones básicas,hemos hecho una lista con soluciones prácticas para aquell*s que no están familiarizados con las leyes laborales alemanas. También la tenemos traducida al Italiano, al Ingles y Aleman.
La hemos dividido por categorías: Empleados, Minijobbers o Trabajadores irregulares y Freelancers.
Esta lista no es ni definitiva ni completa. ¡Cualquier comentario o corrección es bienvenida!
Por favor, pónte en contacto con nosotros y pregúntanos tus dudas.
Sin embargo, el trabajo no es todo en la vida; aquí también encontrarás una lista de soluciones informales.
¡La solidaridad es nuestra arma más fuerte! Habla con tus empleador*s y conéctate con tus colegas, habla con tus amig*s y con tu grupo antirracista local, ayuda a tus vecin*s y contacta con las asesorías locales.
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Posted in Esp, General | 1 Comment

How not to go broke during COVID-19

Posted on 17/03/2020 by Critical Workers

Critical Workers has been providing advice to workers in Berlin for the last 3 years.
Due to the COVID emergency more than ever bosses are threatening and firing people.
To provide basic support, we made a list of practical and viable solutions for those not familiar with German labour laws. You can find it in Italian, Spanish and German as well.
These are divided into categories: Employees, Minijobbers or Irregular workers and Freelancers.
This list is neither definitive nor complete. Any feedback or correction is welcome!
Please do get in touch!
Nevertheless work is not everything in life; here you’ll also find a list of out-of-the-box solutions.
Solidarity is our strongest weapon! Talk to your landlord and connect with colleagues, talk to your friends and your local anti-racist group, help your neighbours and reach to local counsellors.
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Posted in Eng, General | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Critical Radio #7 Layoffs at Booking’s call center

Posted on 16/05/2019 by Critical Workers

Booking.com has several call centers around the world. In Berlin they employ more then 800 people. The company grows, the city is cheaper for the company and the conditions are attractive for the young migrants working there (good salary, presents at christmas). At the end of 2018 they abruptly decided to layoff 30% of the employees, without a reason. The image of the best call center in Berlin starts to crack: 40% of the employees are on a temp contract, management has a tight control over the people and the Betriebsrat is constantly under pressure.
We invited some of the employees of the Booking.com call center. They will tell about the working conditions, the big layoff and much more.

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Call for solidarity with Wombats Hostel

Posted on 14/05/2019 by Critical Workers

Call for solidarity protest against employers’ arrogance, union busting and economic terrorism against employees at Wombat’s City Hostel!

The Berlin staff was the first in Germany to set up a works council in a hostel and to enforce a collective agreement. The owners Alexander Dimitriewicz and Marcus Praschinger want to close the well performing hostel out of pure retaliation. Quote from their own statement: “The Berlin hostel is economically successful, but we don’t want to work this way”.

Firstly, this is more of a sleight of hand than a real closure. A manoeuvre that serves to exchange unpopular employees.

Secondly, entrepreneurs who want to fire an entire workforce as a retaliation for demanding fundamental and human rights, act in an immoral manner and the expropriation of their property must be considered.

There are hostels in Berlin, Vienna, Budapest, London and soon also in Venice. At all locations guests will be informed about the terrorism of owners and management against the Berlin employees.

We call on trade unionists, civil rights activists and syndicates to protest and resist. Ya basta! That’s enough!

FB Event: HERE

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Critical Radio #6 – Wombat Hostel

Posted on 25/01/2019 by Critical Workers

It was a long year for the staff of Wombat’s hostel. Cost of living has risen in Berlin but they still had to deal with minimum wage and unpaid extra hours or night shifts. It is something very common in the hotel sector, not only in Berlin. They told to our microphone (we still have just one) how the young travelers, chic neighbors and the management couldn’t care less.

What’s unusual is that they managed to unionize, to elect a working council (Betriebsrat) and to reach a Collective Agreement (Tarifvertrag). The employer started with union busting: outsourcing, issuing warnings and dismissing people. In January 2019 the negotiations for (or against) the outsourcing of the room cleaners revamped the struggle.
We hear their (success) story directly from their voices.

Note: real discussion starts around min 3.

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Critical Radio #5 – Ryanair

Posted on 07/11/2018 by Critical Workers

After a short summer break, Critical Workers´ radio inquiries into workers’ struggles continue. This time we will talk to the flight attendants of the low-cost airline Ryainair, who have recently striked and blocked flights throughout Europe and even here in Berlin against their working conditions. Rather than repeat what everyone has read in the newspapers, we will have their voice tell us directly which are the steps that led them to organize the struggles.

As always we will meet at Heart’s Fear (former Fritto, wildenbruchstr 24, 12045) offering drinks and live discussion supported by our comrades of Radio NoBorder.

People who cannot come to the event itself, may follow the show under http://radionoborder.net/live/. The show is going to be in English but we can also provide translation for German and Italian if someone wants to participate in the discussion.

Opening: 7 p.m.
Start of the live-stream: 8 p.m.

Posted in Eng, Event | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Critical Radio #4 – Vivantes Hospital

Posted on 19/09/2018 by Critical Workers

After learning about the situation of student assistants in Berlin (TVStud), following the riders on the storm (Deliverunion), and asking Amazon to pay (Make Amazon Pay), we are going to talk about hospitals in Berlin. How the Vivantes Service GmbH treats its employees? How this treatment affects your health and the safety of the workers? RadioNoBorder narrates the strikes in Berlin!

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Critical Radio #3 – Make Amazon Pay

Posted on 19/09/2018 by Critical Workers


In April Jeff Bezos visited Berlin to receive the Axel-Springer-Preis. There were several workers from allover europe to “greet” him.
Since a while we take part to discussions to the topic of working conditions in Amazon. Together with Ralf from Amazon Leipzig we had a chat about the conditions of Amazon workers in different European countries, we had a look to previous struggles, we listened to a couple of interviews recordered during the demo and as usual had a small discussion with the public.
Enjoy!

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