Milk for welders, hot water, and ear protectors: All thanks to you, Georg Ibinger!

Works Council

In 1975, an apprentice joined WINTERSTEIGER who would leave a special mark on the company: Georg Ibinger, 32 years of passionate devotion to the manual workers' works council.

 

On August 11, 1975, "Ibes" began his apprenticeship training as a machine fitter, alongside 11 other colleagues. At this time, there were 100 employees working at the Ried site, which was roughly a quarter of its current size. Wooden barracks from the Second World War served as offices, communal areas, and a warehouse. Prison inmates also performed auxiliary work at that time, and were brought in daily from prison.

 

After his apprenticeship, Georg Ibinger assembled ski production machines and combines – in those days, in series of 100 to 150 units. He got a lot of support from the company founders, especially from technical genius Hans Wintersteiger, who was happy to take the time to give the apprentices detailed answers to their technical questions.

 

Georg Ibinger was never one to avoid problems, and enforced the purchase of extraction systems as well as "milk for welders" in the welding shop. Ultimately he was urged by his colleagues to run for a works' council position, and in June 1990, he and his team received over 80 % approval against an existing body.

 

In 1993, he and his team established the popular in-house sporting events. For 30 years, colleagues competed annually in four competitions: bowling, darts, indoor rifle shooting, and dexterity.

 

At the turn of the millennium, Georg Ibinger took his leave from his works' council post. Until his retirement, he was chair of the workers' works council for 9 sessions, and chair of the works council committee since the employees' works council was established in 2016. A great deal was achieved during this time: hot water or free work clothing provided were not a matter of course in the past. The excellent results achieved at the time, such as free fruit, anniversary bonuses, meal allowances, adapted ear protectors, and much more, are now almost taken for granted.