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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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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)

European Works Councils case studies: Electrolux AB

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

16 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: GM Opel

The joint stock-company General Motors (GM), with its headquarters in Detroit, is the world’s largest automotive group, with nearly 9.2 million vehicles sold around the world in 2005. This case study is based on interviews undertaken with national delegates of the General Motors EWC/GME European

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: KBC Bank

KBC Bank and Insurance Holding Company was established in 1998 following the merger of three Belgian financial institutions. This case study is based on interviews carried out in Poland and the Czech Republic between March and July 2006 with representatives of the KBC European Works Council

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: Bosch

The Bosch group, with headquarters in Stuttgart, is one of the world’s largest private industrial corporations and a major supplier in the field of automotive and industrial technology, as well as of consumer goods and building technology. This case study is based on interviews carried out in the

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: Siemens

Siemens, with headquarters in Munich and Berlin, is a globally-active company operating in the fields of electrical engineering and electronics. This case study is based on interviews conducted in the Czech Republic and Poland. Interviews were carried out between February and June 2006 with EWC

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: Sanofi-Aventis

The Sanofi-Aventis group was formally established on 1 January 2005 as a result of the takeover of Aventis by the Sanofi-Synthélabo group in 2004. This case study is based on interviews carried out in Hungary and Poland between March and June 2006 with HR management representatives and EWC members

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom is one of the four largest telecommunication companies in the world and a strong global player in this industry. This case study is based on interviews carried out in Slovakia and Hungary between March and June 2006 with both EWC members and management representatives. In addition

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: Unilever

Unilever was formally created in 1930 with the merger of British soapmakers ‘Lever Brothers’ and Dutch margarine producers ‘Margarine Unie’. Today, this Anglo-Dutch company owns many of the world’s best-known consumer brands in food, beverages, cleaning and personal care products. This case study is

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EWCs in the new Member States - Case study: Volkswagen

The Volkswagen group, with headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, is one of the leading car manufacturers in the world, with a share in global passenger car production in 2005 of 9% (5.2 million passenger car vehicles), making the company the world’s fourth largest car producer. This case study is

15 October 2008
Publication
Case study
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Around the world in 80 ways – Between competition and solidarity

Born out of the controversy caused by cases of cross-border restructuring and its employment impact, European works councils (EWCs) are considered a key tool for managing the impact of globalisation. According to the agreements establishing them, the vast majority of EWCs should be informed and

02 June 2008
Publication
Information sheet
Labour market policies
Employee representation
Social partners
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Online resources results (298)

Distribution option for pay rises proves popular

On 20 October 1997 wage and salary collective agreements for industrial enterprises in the metalworking sector were concluded, which became effective from 1 November 1997 (AT9710138N [1]). They were negotiated by the Industry Federal Section of the Austrian Chamber of the Economy (Wirtschaftskammer

27 siječnja 1998
Article
Pay and income
Social dialogue
Agreements
Employee representation
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Danish LO celebrates 100 years of existence

The Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisationen i Danmark, LO) celebrates the 100th anniversary of its creation in 1998. The celebration will be most noticeable through a wide range of cultural and union activities unfolding throughout the year (which will be reported in subsequent

27 siječnja 1998
Article
Social partners
Employee representation
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Corporate governance: Dutch system under fire?

In late 1997, a legislative proposal was submitted to the Dutch Parliament to reduce the use of anti-takeover measures in listed companies. A few months earlier, the Corporate Governance Committee had issued its final report. Discussions surrounding corporate governance have focused on the position

27 siječnja 1998
Article
Participation at work
Employee representation

Widespread protests by unemployed people: towards a new form of social movement?

In December 1997 and January 1998, France has seen a growing wave of protests by unemployed people, which has grown from specific local actions into a nationwide movement. The demands of the protesters have challenged both the Government and the trade unions which co-manage the unemployment

27 siječnja 1998
Article
Unemployment
Industrial action
Social protection
Employee representation

CGTP questions representativeness of social partners

In late 1997, the CGTP trade union confederation has amplified its criticisms of Portugal's system of tripartite social concertation, pointing out anomalies, claiming that it is manipulated, and raising the issue of the social partners' representativeness.

27 prosinca 1997
Article
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Legal battle in Belgium over company relocation

Dismissed trade union delegates and the management of Boston Scientific, a medical equipment company which relocated operations from Belgium to Ireland in 1997, are still fighting it out in the Belgian courts at the end of the year. This legal battle is part of a union strategy to fight closures and

27 prosinca 1997
Article
Restructuring
Employee representation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

The trade unionist of the 1990s?

The face of UK trade unionism is changing, according to evidence published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Trade unionists today [1] (August 1997), based on analysis of the autumn 1996 Labour Force Survey. In the past, according to the TUC, the typical UK trade unionist was once generally

27 prosinca 1997
Article
Employee representation
Social partners
Public services
Industrial relations
Living conditions and quality of life
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Unions set agendas for collective bargaining in 1998

Spain's UGT and CC.OO trade union confederations want to put employment at the top of their collective bargaining agenda in 1998. Job creation and promoting secure employment are the main demands.

27 prosinca 1997
Article
Labour market policies
Collective bargaining
Social dialogue
Employment relationship
Pay and income
Employee representation
Health and well-being at work
Working time
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Agreement between LO and NHO on amendments to the Basic Agreement

On Thursday 13 November 1997, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) agreed to recommend a proposal to amend their Basic Agreement (hovedavtale). The two organisations' representative bodies must approve the new Basic Agreement

27 studenog 1997
Article
Industrial relations
Industrial action
Participation at work
Employee representation
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Is the Luxembourg model of industrial relations in danger?

The "Luxembourg model" of industrial relations is founded on institutionalised negotiation and social dialogue at all levels, but in the late 1990s it is not free from attacks triggered by the globalisation of capital and product markets. This article explains how the model works and assesses its

27 studenog 1997
Article
Industrial relations
Social partners
Employee representation
Participation at work
Industrial action
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 studenog 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 listopada 2023
Reference period:
2019

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