Suche
Mein Konto
Schwoerer Haus suffers legal defeat: a shock for the industry!
Prefabricated house builder Schwörer loses against BG Bau before the Reutlingen social court. Dispute over hazard tariff class 2024.
Schwoerer Haus suffers legal defeat: a shock for the industry!
Today the Freiburg Social Court made a groundbreaking decision that is making the prefabricated house builder Schwörer Haus from Hohenstein-Oberstetten sweat. As the Swabian reports, Schwörer Haus, together with Fluck Holzbau and Lehner Holzhaus, sued the construction industry's trade association (BG Bau). The subject of negotiations was the classification of prefabricated timber construction companies in the same hazard tariff class as carpentry companies, which has been in effect since the beginning of 2024. This regulation has far-reaching consequences as it can lead to significant increases in accident insurance contributions.
But what exactly is behind this overwhelming classification? Mathias Schäfer, President of the Occupational Safety Prefabricated Timber Construction Interest Group (IGAH) and the Federal Association of German Prefabricated Construction (BDF), sharply criticized the tariff change. He emphasized that medium-sized companies alone could incur additional costs of around 1,000 euros per employee per year - an extremely high burden! This is despite the fact that accident costs for carpentry businesses are more than 35 percent higher. However, the social court dismissed the companies' complaints, which understandably dealt a blow to the representatives of the plaintiff companies.
Legal disputes and possible appeal
What happens next? The prefabricated timber construction companies plan to appeal. Lawyer Christoph Renz, who defends over 40 plaintiff construction companies, announced that he would appeal the decision to the Baden-Württemberg State Social Court. Over 60 prefabricated construction companies in Germany have already defended themselves against the new 4th hazard tariff, which is valid for a maximum of six calendar years. Many expect that this dispute will ultimately end up before the Federal Social Court - a real key moment for the future of the industry.
It's not just the financial aspect. Safe and healthy working conditions are also of central importance for protecting employees from work accidents and occupational diseases. The BG CONSTRUCTION is committed to protecting employees in commercial companies in the construction industry and construction-related services from work-related risks. It is financed from the contributions of the entrepreneurs, while the employees themselves do not have to make any payments for statutory accident insurance.
The verdict is not just a simple court case - it is emblematic of a larger dispute in the construction industry and highlights the challenges that the prefabricated housing industry is currently facing. Whether these companies accept the new regulations or ultimately have to fight for part of their existence remains to be seen.