Reutberg Abbey falls on the nose with notice

Before the labor court in Holzkirchen, the agricultural master of the Reutberg monastery, a former nun, is now right. An agreement with the religious community has not yet been reached.

Sachsenkam / Holzkirchen - Above the judge's table at the Holzkirchen labor court is an oil painting with a peaceful, Arcadian landscape that shows the pasture near Wallgau with the Barmsee and the Wettersteinwand in the background. The Reutberg could also be such an idyll if it weren't for a legal dispute over the dismissal of the agricultural master, pronounced by the commissioner appointed by the Vatican.

In the proceedings, judge Reinhard Schlicker has now confirmed the plaintiff and stated that the extraordinary termination of September 24 last year "did not end the employment relationship between the parties and continues indefinitely". An amicable settlement, which was suggested several times by the judge (“I am now at the end of my Latin in this respect”), has therefore not been reached.

The religious herself had not come to court because of illness and was represented by her lawyer Dominik Zuslag. Seven trial observers present made no secret of their sympathy for the plaintiff.

This success for the dismissed agricultural master had already been indicated at the hearing when the judge asked the employer many critical questions about the drafting of the employment contract and the reasons for this dismissal. The plaintiff, who until a few years ago had belonged to the Reutberg convent herself and had already taken care of the local agriculture with 43 hectares of grassland and a good 40 cattle in mother animal husbandry, had left the order and married.

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The agricultural master has been on sick leave since October 2019 and is currently completing an outpatient rehabilitation measure. But she had appeared in person for the trial. The monastery is now known to organize the care of the animals independently.

The lawyer of the defendant monastery justified the dismissal given by the apostolic commissioner in her function as managing director and thus authorized representative of the monastery by saying that agriculture on the Reutberg in the existing form was unprofitable, ie a "minus business". However, there was no meaningful balance sheet. According to the expertise of the Office for Agriculture, a three-quarter position was sufficient for the size of the company instead of the full-time position held by the applicant. The job loss sought with the dismissal is "an entrepreneurial decision". Instead, the monastery is striving to outsource. Attorney Dominik Zuslag: "It would be much cheaper to outsource."

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At the hearing it became clear that the existing employment contract shows some vagueness, to which the Tölzer Kläger lawyer Dr. Jost Hartman-Hilter pointed out several times, in particular with regard to the monetary benefit for the employee, which results from the tax-free provision of an apartment.

It is not yet known whether the judgment will become final or one of the parties will appeal.

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