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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 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)

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

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

U okviru svojeg mandata, koji uključuje i obvezu promicanja dijaloga među socijalnim partnerima, Eurofound već dulje od 40 godina prati i analizira promjene u sustavima radnih odnosa na razini EU-a i njegovih država članica. Ovo se ključno izvješće temelji na radu Eurofounda u tom području tijekom

11 December 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Online resources results (298)

Industrial relations landscape to change after review

In 2010–2011, social partners in Bulgaria began discussions on new criteria for representation at national level on the country’s tripartite council. The council brings together social partners from employer organisations and unions to discuss a range of national issues with the government.

Trade unions file complaint with ILO against courts

Members of Poland’s two biggest trade unions at LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services (LOT AMS [1]), NSZZ Solidarność [2] and the Trade Union of Airport Ground Staff (ZZNPL [3]), part of the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ [4]), went on strike on 18 March 2012. [1] http://lotams.com/en [2]

Agreement eases tension at Flamanville nuclear site

Agreement has been reached at the territorial level of the Département of Seine-Maritime on working conditions at the nuclear reactor construction site of Flamanville. French energy giant EDF [1] is building the reactor, and the new agreement is intended to improve the provision of information, work

New labour dispute resolution system

In Lithuania, a two-level procedure for Individual Labour Dispute (ILD) resolution existed. It provided for the hearing of individual labour disputes by a special Labour Disputes Commission at company level and in the courts. This was seen as unsatisfactory to both employers and employees, and was

Grand conference to launch new government’s social reform strategy

During the French election campaign, the attitude of socialist candidate François Hollande towards relations with trade unions and business leaders, indicating that he would respect their autonomy, set him apart from Nicolas Sarkozy, his competitor for the Presidency.

Sharp rise in applications for union recognition

Employers in the UK are obliged to grant trade union recognition for collective bargaining if the union successfully applies to the independent Central Arbitration Committee (CAC [1]) under a statutory procedure introduced in 2000 (*UK0007183F* [2]). [1] http://www.cac.gov.uk [2] www.eurofound

GDF Suez signs Europe-wide agreement on gender equality

Based in France, GDF Suez [1] is an electricity, gas and energy environmental services group with 219,000 employees worldwide, around 191,000 of them in Europe. It was created in 2008 by the merger of GDF and Suez (*FR0808029I* [2]). [1] http://www.gdfsuez.com/ [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef

Company-level employment contracts trigger wages drop

A report issued by the Labour Inspectorate (SEPE [1]) on developments in employment contracts during the first four months of 2012 showed that 46% of new contracts in the private sector were for flexible forms of work such as part-time work and work rotation. [1] http://www.ypakp.gr/

Workers increasingly excluded from bargaining model

A new anthology entitled Insiders and outsiders – the scope of the Danish bargaining model (in Danish) [1] draws on a series of studies carried out by scholars at the University of Copenhagen’s Employment Relations Research Centre (FAOS [2]). It explores the impact of union membership and collective

Temporary agency workers granted national minimum wage

On 20 December 2011, Germany’s Federal Cabinet agreed to include the temporary agency work sector in the Posted Workers Act (AEntG [1]) so that the minimum hourly wage scale (in German, 37Kb PDF) [2] could apply to these workers. The Posted Workers Act stipulates that minimum wages can only be


Blogs results (1)
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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 studenog 2019
Data results (1)
24 listopada 2023
Reference period:

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