Does the holding company of the Allianz Allianz SE group under Oliver Bäte hinder the work of works councils? Are corporate meetings disturbed? Did Allianz’s high-ranking executives really try to provoke fistfights with works council members to use this as a reason for immediate dismissal?
At least that’s what the works council of the internal reinsurer, Allianz Re, says. Allianz Re is not a separate company, but part of the holding company Allianz SE. However, the unit has its own works council. Employee representatives summarized their allegations in an eight-page open letter to Bäte, accessible to all employees on the intranet.
This is how they describe the situation at the first working meeting of the newly elected works council in June 2022, where “significant obstacles and interruptions” occurred. “For example, in view of the Allianz SE meeting, it was not possible to provide a (suitable) room.” Furthermore, the question of the hybrid form of the event was controversial until the end. “Allianz SE insisted that all attendees be present in person until shortly before the event.”
“Do not lie to me”
At the time of the event, respiratory protective masks were “strongly recommended” by Allianz in Schwabing, works councils continue to report. But Allianz boss King Holger Tewes-Kampelmann did not wear a mask when he entered the room, despite requests from the works councils present and despite the recommendation of his own company. “The CEO was aware that there were high-risk patients in the room.”
The description of what happened next is even more difficult. A few minutes before the event, Tewes-Kampelmann broke into the tiny event hall chosen by Allianz along with two colleagues from the human resources department and her personal assistant. “In this context, before the event even started, the CEO stood in front of a works council member who was present, approached him within 10 centimeters and yelled at him twice in face: ‘Don’t lie to me!’ “
The turmoil it caused made a start impossible. “The chairman of the works council had to yell at Mr. Tewes-Kampelmann first before the business meeting could begin.”
The works council now wants to commission a security service
The works councils have an explanation for the boss’s actions: “It is documented and confirmed via e-mail without denial that the CEO of Allianz SE Re wanted to provoke physical violence with his behavior with the aim of being able to close the factory council without Notice. ” Tewes-Kampelmann verbally confronted this claim in front of witnesses. The boss replied with a smile that he hadn’t touched the works council. The works council wants to hire a security service for the next business meeting or ask for police protection.
Tewes-Kampelmann sees things very differently. “We strongly reject these allegations,” he told the SZ. Stefan Britz, Head of Human Resources at Allianz SE, adds: “The Allianz Group compliance department investigated the alleged incidents during the business meeting and also spoke to those present at the event.” The result: “As a result, the allegations were found to be unfounded.” The works council was not available for the SZ.
Whatever exactly happened at this business meeting: The mood between the works council under its chairman Simone Wohlmut and the company management under Tewes-Kampelmann is at its lowest point. The group is said to have favored another list in the elections earlier this year and provided it with assistance, the works council said in its letter. The head of the Bäte group called on the workforce to vote before the elections. “It is very important that you choose the people who really work with us to improve this company.” The company saw this as an attempt to promote some candidates who might have been easier to nurture than the current employee representation. But Wohlmut has the support of the workforce and was re-elected chairman of the works council.
Allianz has 155,000 employees. 1,750 of them work at the parent company Allianz SE. Allianz Re, which groups together a multi-billion dollar reinsurance group within the Group and also works for other insurers, employs 220 highly qualified specialists at its Munich office. The group has a big problem with them.
Both sides are conducting numerous court cases against each other. The company now communicates almost exclusively through law firms with employee representatives, employee representatives say. Works council members complain that salary adjustments have not been adequately taken into account.
The body, in turn, blocks vacancies, according to those close to the management. This endangers the activity and health of employees who are overworked.
Tewes-Kampelmann inherited the problems from his predecessor Amer Ahmed, who left the company in late April 2021 and was considered quite difficult when dealing with employees.
Apparently, the change of head did not change anything fundamental, perhaps also because Tewes-Kampelmann was already a member of the board of directors and was therefore involved in the long-standing controversies.
The boss accuses the works councils of following a conflicting course
He doesn’t seem very optimistic when it comes to future cooperation with the works council. “If both parties don’t want to work together, it’s very difficult to get the desired partnership,” she said. He accuses the works councils of following a conflicting course. In their open letter they do the same to management.
“Both sides have reached an extraordinary level,” said Cologne employment lawyer Thomas Klaes after reviewing the open letter. Klaes knows the fact about him: as a lawyer, he mainly represents works councils, but is not involved in the dispute at Allianz Re.
“If the employer tries to sabotage, it’s not a good move,” commented the descriptions. However: “On some points of the open letter I thought the works council might overestimate his skills.”
The law on the constitution of works provides that both parties always seek a consensus. “But there are companies where he hasn’t lived that way.” His advice to both sides: “You should never shoot sparrows with cannons.”
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