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Employee representation

Employee representation may be defined as the right of employees to seek a union or individual to represent them for the purpose of negotiating with management on such issues as wages, hours, benefits and working conditions. In the workplace, workers may be represented by trade union and through works councils – or similar structures elected by all employees. EU law has established rights and obligations for employees and their representatives to be informed and consulted via a set of directives that provide for the information and consultation of the workers, at both national and international level.

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Eurofound expert(s)

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Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras

Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras is a research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and focuses on comparative industrial relations, social dialogue and collective bargaining...

Research manager,
Working life research unit
Publications results (74)

Työmarkkinasuhteiden ja työpaikkademokratian keskeisiä osa-alueita koskeva raportti (päivitys 2023)

Previous Eurofound research developed three complementary tools to examine the dynamics of industrial relations and compare how national industrial relations systems are faring in terms of quality and change over time.

05 December 2023
Publication
Research report
Työmarkkinasuhteet ja työmarkkinaosapuolten vuoropuhelu
Työmarkkinasuhteet
Social partners
Employee representation
Collective bargaining
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Challenges and solutions: Case studies on European Works Councils

This working paper investigates the practical implementation of the European Works Council (EWC) Directive at company level. It explores the challenges faced by existing EWCs and provides examples of solutions identified and remaining issues from the point of view of both workers and management. In

25 October 2022
Publication
Other
Social dialogue
European Pillar of Social Rights
Employee representation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Työmarkkinasuhteet: kehitysvaiheet 2015–2019

Eurofound edistää toimeksiantonsa mukaisesti johdon ja työntekijöiden välistä vuoropuhelua. Sen osana Eurofound on seurannut ja analysoinut työmarkkinasuhdejärjestelmien kehitystä EU:n tasolla ja EU:n jäsenvaltioissa 40 vuoden ajan. Tämä lippulaivaraportti perustuu tässä yhteydessä edellisellä

11 December 2020
Publication
Flagship report
Työmarkkinaosapuolten välinen vuoropuhelu
Social partners
Employee representation
Collective bargaining
Työmarkkinasuhteet ja työmarkkinaosapuolten vuoropuhelu
Työmarkkinasuhteet
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Working conditions in sectors

Megatrends, such as digitalisation, globalisation, demographic change and climate change, are transforming the world of work, with knock-on effects for working conditions and job quality. Against this background, this report examines working conditions and job quality from a sectoral perspective

05 November 2020
Publication
Research report
Employee representation
Employment structure
Health and well-being at work
Job quality
Non-standard employment
Skills and training
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Work organisation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
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Capacity building for effective social dialogue in the European Union

The aim of this report is to add to the discussion on how Eurofound can contribute to supporting capacity building of social partners for effective social dialogue. The report includes a review by Eurofound aimed at identifying the capacity-building needs and initiatives of social partners in

10 September 2020
Publication
Research report
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Social partners
Social dialogue
Employee representation
Industrial relations
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Social dialogue and HR practices in European global companies

This study examines the interaction between social dialogue practices and human resources management (HRM) policies in European multinational companies (MNCs). It looks at the changing role of HRM and its interaction with European Works Councils (EWCs), which can act as a link between different

16 June 2020
Publication
Research report
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Social dialogue
Participation at work
Employee representation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Pay transparency in Europe: First experiences with gender pay reports and audits in four Member States

In light of the limited action in many Member States to introduce or review gender pay transparency instruments as recommended, in November 2017 the European Commission announced the possible need for further targeted measures at EU level. This report reviews experiences in four Member States –

07 February 2018
Publication
Research report
Employee representation
Gender equality
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Inequality
Pay and income

Employee involvement and participation at work: Recent research and policy developments revisited

This topical update looks at the issue of employee involvement and participation at work, specifically reviewing recent pieces of research at EU and national level, EU directives, changes in the legal framework, social partner initiatives and debates identified in EurWORK quarterly reports during

25 October 2016
Publication
Research report
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Participation at work
Social dialogue
Work organisation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Mapping key dimensions of industrial relations

This report maps, analyses and discusses key dimensions and indicators for a comparative framework of industrial relations. It then identifies and assesses existing data sources that can be used to measure the different dimensions of the comparative framework.

30 September 2016
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Participation at work
Entrepreneurship
Collective bargaining
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Innovation
Job quality
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Win–win arrangements: Innovative measures through social dialogue at company level

Well-functioning social dialogue is a key component for the successful design and implementation of reforms needed to increase the competitiveness of Europe’s economies and create more jobs. It balances workers’ and employers’ interests and contributes to both economic competitiveness and social

06 September 2016
Publication
Research report
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Participation at work
Work organisation
New forms of employment
Collective bargaining
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Innovation
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Online resources results (298)

European Works Councils Directive finally implemented

Luxembourg finally transposed the 1994 EU Directive on European Works Councils into national legislation during 2000, some four years behind schedule. All EU Member States have now implemented the Directive. We review the main distinctive points of the Luxembourg law.

27 tammikuu 2001
Article
Employee representation
Participation at work

Government launches review of redundancy consultation laws

On 18 January 2001, the trade and industry secretary, Stephen Byers, announced in the House of Commons that the government is to undertake a review of UK consultation requirements concerning collective redundancies. This process is likely to result in proposals for their amendment.

27 tammikuu 2001
Article
Restructuring
Participation at work
Employee representation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

VW introduces new pension funds

On 7 December 2000, the German car manufacturer Volkswagen AG (VW) publicly announced a plan to change completely its system of supplementary retirement benefits. Instead of spending between DEM 1.5 billion and DEM 2 billion per year on a "pay-as-you-go" basis the company will now set aside money

27 tammikuu 2001
Article
Social protection
Collective bargaining
Employee representation

Trade unions face financial difficulties

A number of Norwegian trade unions are facing financial difficulties due to falling membership levels and increasing trade union activities. The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge, LO) and its member unions witnessed significant operating revenue deficits in 1999

27 joulukuu 2000
Article
Social partners
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Administrative Tribunal awards ALEBA trade union nationally representative status

In October 2000, following an appeal initiated by the ALEBA bank workers' trade union against the Minister of Labour, Luxembourg's Administrative Tribunal awarded the union "nationally representative" status, thus allowing it to conclude collective agreements. This decision ignores earlier case law

27 marraskuu 2000
Article
Social partners
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Advocate-General delivers opinion on first EWC case to reach European Court of Justice

On 26 September 2000, Advocate-General Antonio Saggio at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) delivered his opinion [1] of the issues raised in the first case concerning the interpretation of the European Works Councils (s) Directive (94/45/EC) [2] to reach the ECJ. The case, number C-62/99, was

27 marraskuu 2000
Article
Employee representation
Participation at work

Strengthening social dialogue in the graphical industry

September 2000 saw the publication of a report on Strengthening social dialogue and cross-border trade union networks in the graphical industry [1], drawn up by a team of researchers at the Centre for European Employment Research at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, as part of a project

27 marraskuu 2000
Article
Collective bargaining
Social partners
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Moves to regulate freelance coordinated work through law and bargaining

"Atypical" work is an increasingly important component of employment in Italy, accounting for around two-thirds of all new jobs created. Legislation to regulate one form of non-dependent atypical work, consultancy and freelance work "coordinated" by an employer - which involves around 1 million

27 marraskuu 2000
Article
Non-standard employment
Employee representation
Labour and social regulation
Employment and labour markets

Supervisory control in large companies due to change

The debate in the Netherlands on supervisory control within large companies resulted in a provisional compromise in October 2000 within the tripartite Social and Economic Council (SER). The Council has recommended changes to the current system whereby shareholders and works councils nominate members

27 marraskuu 2000
Article
Employee representation

1998 works council election results published

The results of the works council elections held in France in 1998 were published in October 2000. The main trends observed were a fall in turn-out among employees and a drop in the vote for non-unionised independent candidates. Nevertheless, independents still constitute the largest single group of

27 marraskuu 2000
Article
Employee representation
Social partners
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (1)
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Restructuring: Do unions still matter?

Trade unions in many EU Member States face the issue of declining membership. This is a fundamental challenge for organised labour, but it is premature to speak about the redundancy unions: when it comes to important decisions affecting the workplace, restructuring being one, trade unions remain a

20 marraskuu 2019
Sara Riso
Blog
Restructuring
Working conditions
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Data results (1)

European Company Survey

24 lokakuu 2023
Reference period:
2019

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