European Works Councils case studies: SKF

In September 1994, the Council of Ministers decided on a Directive on the establishment of a European Works Council for the purposes of informing and consulting employees (94/45/EC). The emergence of European Works Councils (EWCs) is a major part of the development of an industrial relations system at European level. SKF started a world council in 1974. When an EWC became a requirement it was logical for SKF to build on the experiences of the world council. The EWC in SKF is like most EWCs in Sweden, a union-only forum.