Changes causing personnel impacts are subject to change negotiations

Change negotiations refer to negotiations between the employer and the personnel, which should take place when the employer is considering a business decision that, if realised, would essentially change the position of one or more employees.

Essential changes that require negotiations already include

• termination,
• lay-offs or
• reduction of a contract of employment into a part-time contract, or
• unilateral amendment of a substantial term of an employment contract

on production or financial grounds.

The obligation to negotiate also covers solutions that have a material impact on one or more employees for

• work tasks,
• working methods or
• work,
• workspaces or
• arrangements for regular working hours.

Matters to be handled in the change negotiations include the transfer of the workplace to another address or the conversion of the workspaces into an open-plan office.