Almost all positions below the professorships at the University of Göttingen are based on fixed-term contracts. Göttingen University is no exception in Germany. At many other universities, the employment conditions have become worse during the last years. 89% of the academic staff and 27% of the administrative staff is employed on fixed-term contracts. Legally, such temporary positions are justified by the fact that they aim at the researchers individual qualification (WissZeitVG §2, paragraph 1).[1] However, the majority of the university’s core tasks – teaching and research – are completed by precisely these positions.
Against this background, employees started the campaign Uni Göttingen unbefristet in spring 2018. The campaign strives for permanent employment for all academic and academic-supporting staff at our university. Supported by ver.di, a large German trade union,[2] similar initiatives exist in other cities, of which Uni Kassel unbefristet is closest in both structural and spatial terms.[3]
How can I get more information?
We meet regularly every first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Due to “flexible” working structures, the venue might change – but just write us an e-mail[4] and you will get a latest update on our monthly meetings. Besides that, you can subscribe to our newsletter[5] to get a monthly update.
How can I become even more active?
The top priority for this stage of the campaign is that everyone can contribute with their skills and power!
Uni Göttingen unbefristet is organized in working groups:
public relations, recruitment of members, actions on campus, FAQ, moderation
and coordination, layout and design, new members, lobbying and political
strategy, and networking.
During our monthly meetings, we discuss the results and future needs of current
working groups which then organize their work independently.
If you would like to join one of the working groups, just write us an e-mail!
Furthermore, our campaign is organized through responsible carers and multipliers. We have divided the university into clearly delimited units of buildings and rooms. For these we are looking for so-called carers. Carers have a general overview of larger units and have the concrete task of finding so-called multipliers and thereby expand a wide operational network at the university. The carers are connected to the campaign’s inner circle and have the necessary information which they can pass on to the multipliers. The multipliers, in turn, are responsible for smaller units, like a corridor for instance. In these units, they advertise activities and recruit more members. This strategy increases our outreach without everyone being tied into the narrow circle of the organization.
Would you like to be a carer or a multiplier? Just write us an e-mail or come to one of the meetings!
We demand: Permanent employment for permanent assignments!
Uni Göttingen unbefristet demands a binding regulation to create permanent employment opportunities for all colleagues working in the fields of research, teaching, technical support, and administration; including positions for junior researchers. The work we employ is indispensable for the whole university. We demand: permanent positions for permanent assignments!
Permanent assignments of research and teaching are increasingly financed through third-party funds. A constant need of permanent assignments must, however, also be reflected in permanent positions. We demand: Permanent employment also for third-party funded employees!
Due to limited contracts, it is impossible to make reliable decisions about the future. We demand a work environment that enables us and our families to finally make plans for a future life. Permanent employment also contributes to gender equality.
- Permanent employment for scientific, technical and administrative staff, which supports gender equality!
- Permanent employment for permanent assignments!
- Permanent employment also for employees with third-party funds!
- Not knowing what will be tomorrow / Not knowing if I can pay my rent / Not knowing if … We demand a life with perspective!
[1] Further information on these laws can be found here: https://www.gew.de/aktuelles/detailseite/neuigkeiten/fixed-term-contracts-in-higher-education-and-research-gew-guide-now-available-in-english-language/
[2] https://www.verdi.de/ueber-uns/verdi-international/++co++0da83724-a114-11e2-9997-52540059119e
[3] https://unikasselunbefristet.com/ (Website only in German)
[4] https://www.uni-goettingen-unbefristet.de/kontakt/kontaktformular/
[5] https://www.uni-goettingen-unbefristet.de/kontakt/newsletter/ (so far only in German).
