29 May 2019

The employers' associations and the trade unions, ver.di and IGBCE, have agreed on a comprehensive collective agreement for ‘Future and job security’ for the employees of the new E.ON in Germany.

The agreement is an important step in implementing the ‘Collective Policy Statement’ on the planned transaction between E.ON and RWE agreed between the company and the unions in May 2018. Among other things, it includes provisions on attractive severance payments for employees leaving voluntarily, early retirement arrangements, and the possibility of switching to a holding company for further employment and qualifications.

Particularly important milestone

The collective agreement is subject to the antitrust approval of E.ON's acquisition of innogy and will not become effective until the transaction is closed.

The collective agreement is subject to the antitrust approval of E.ON's acquisition of innogy

Johannes Teyssen, CEO of E.ON: “We are consistently implementing what we agreed with ver.di and IGBCE in May last year with the participation of the Group Works Councils. With this agreement, we have reached another, particularly important milestone on the way to the planned integration of innogy. Based on the proven agreements in both groups, we have created a new, forward-looking collective agreement for the new E.ON.”

Transfer collective agreements

It gives all employees of E.ON and innogy the greatest possible certainty that the necessary job cuts will be made in a socially responsible manner and that we will continuously prepare our workforce for the challenges of the future. I am very pleased that we can continue the traditionally good cooperation of the collective bargaining parties in the design of the new E.ON.”

In the next step, transfer collective agreements will be negotiated in the event of a change of employer. At the same time, attention will be focused on the operational negotiations for the implementation of the proposed transaction.