Resources of the European Works Council — empirical knowledge and prospects

Abstract

There typical EWC development paths can he singled out. To a certain extent these paths already exist. They can also he described as development stages of individual EWCs: the EWC with an exclusively national frame of reference: the EWC which is taking on an international quality, but focusses on the industrial relations within the parent company's country: the EWC deliberately working to develop a supranational collective identity with a European underpinning amongst members tending towards equality. Four dimensions can be analytically distinguished in this regard: time, money, information and power. The better the EWC can equip itself in terms of these four “claims”, the greater is the chance of developing a European identity and ability to act effectively. Naturally, the reverse is also true. The four claims are here differentiated in relation to EWCs, based on empirical knowledge mainly derived from two projects in which the author was or is a participant. As examples, the cases of Hoechst (chemical industry), Schmalbach-Lubeca (metalworking industry), AXA/UAP (insurance) and Kredietbank (baiting) are succinctly described. The evaluation looks selectively at a few other relevant empirical project results without detailed substantiation. The results are generalised in terms of a “good EWC practice”. The final part deals with the main subjects of the forthcoming revision of the EWC Directive, which focuses on improvement of the four main claims of EWCs' resource situation.

Collective interest representation of the European workforce in European Works Councils

“…This agreement was replaced in 1994 by one adapted to the 1994 Directive (Kerckhofs, 2015). A similar approach is reported for the Schmalbach-Lubeca EWC (Lecher, 1999). At Degussa, the initiative was taken by German employee representatives, supported by a trade union official.…”

Putting a number on it: a latent profile approach to the typology of European Works Councils

“…, 2011; Redfern, 2007; Stoop, 1999). In the words of Lecher (1999), either a key contact person or a couple of countries taking the lead can “act as a driving force, or (…) can block further development.”…”

European Work Councils and their role in the context of the enlarged Europe

“…Exacerbant la diversité des cultures syndicales, l'intégration des nouveaux États membres est aussi susceptible de renforcer les obstacles cognitifs et culturels à la coordination syndicale transnationale, déjà mis en évidence avant les derniers élargissements (LECHER, 1999). Largement attesté par nos entretiens, le défi premier est cognitif, et renvoie à la nécessaire connaissance des normes sociales en vigueur sur les différents territoires de la multinationale.…”