Complain Like a German

This investigation looks behind the scenes at factories in Serbia, a Balkan country caught in the "race to the bottom" for foreign investments, where German companies play a significant role. The team of investigative journalists interviewed workers, experts, company representatives, and insiders, while sifting through a mountain of documents and reports to uncover how manufacturing workers are treated as they produce cables and tires for BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen.

Many of these workers endure long hours for minimal pay and face harsh treatment from their supervisors. Most are too afraid to unionize. Some have even filed complaints with German companies, as outlined by the Supply Chain Act.

But can these complaints make a difference? Or is the Act merely a fig leaf, masking a system where workers' rights are systematically violated on the periphery, allowing the center to profit from cheap labor?

Photo: ©Jelena Đukić-Pejić