Election of the Staff Council (27-28.02.2024)
What is the Personalrat (staff council)?
The Personalrat is a body of elected staff in a public service department (such as an University) whose members are elected by all staff. It is the equivalent of a Betriebsrat (“works council”) in a company. The Personalrat represents the interests of staff with regard to the employer (the University). It campaigns for fair working conditions and mediates in the event of conflict.
At the University of Göttingen, the Personalrat represents the interests of technical and administrative staff as well as those of academic and research staff. In Lower Saxony, the work of the Personalrat is based on the Niedersächsischen Personalvertretungsgesetz (NPersVG).
Based on https://www.personio.de/hr-lexikon/personalrat/#was-ist-ein-personalrat
See also there for more information.
Who is eligible to vote?
Every employee (Tarifbeschäftigte) and civil servant (Beamte) of the University of Göttingen who has received an election notification – regardless of whether they work in the academic service or in the administrative and technical service. If you have not yet received an election notification by e-mail or post and consider yourself eligible to vote, please contact the election board for clarification. They have access to the electoral roll and can determine whether you are not eligible to vote or whether an incorrect address has been entered.
Who is up for election?
As a rule, the election is held as a list election – as was the case this year. This means that employees have come together to form lists that can be elected. Every eligible voter has one vote and can therefore vote for a list. There are separate lists for employees (Tarifbeschäftigte) and civil servants (Beamte).
This year, two lists are up for election: the ver.di list and the PRaktiv & Unsere Erfahrung.
Why is it important to vote?
The Personalrat (staff council) represents the interests of employees. A high voter turnout gives the Personalrat a strong mandate to stand up for the interests of its voters.
Election days and polling stations:
Tuesday, 27 February 2024
08:00 – 12:00 Uhr: Ernst-Caspari-Haus / GZMB Gebäude, Justus-von-Liebig Weg 11, Erdgeschoss, Raum 0.232 / ground floor, room 0.232
13:00 – 17:00 Uhr: Alte Mensa, Wilhelmsplatz 3, Erdgeschoss, Hannah-Vogt-Saal / ground floor, Hannah-Vogt-Hall
Wednesday, 28 February 2024
08:00 – 13:00 Uhr: Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, ZHG, I. OG, Empore zwischen den Hörsälen ZHG 010 und ZHG 011 / first upper floor, gallery between auditoriums ZHG 010 and ZHG 011