Voss, Eckhard

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 in both countries. An expert interview was also carried out with a representative of the Sanofi-Aventis EWC Secretariat in Paris, which delivered additional information for the case study. The joint Sanofi-Aventis EWC was created in 2004.

LEONI was one of the first German companies in the metalworking sector to issue a ‘Declaration on Social Rights and Industrial Relations’ in 2003. In doing so it followed the two German automotive companies Volkswagen and Daimler-Chrysler which had concluded similar declarations in 2002. The document, which was signed in April 2003 by the LEONI management, the chairwoman of the European Works Council and the general secretary of the International Metalworkers Federation IMF is known as the ‘LEONI Social Charter’ and is seen as a main element of the company’s practice of corporate social responsibility. This case study report is based on interviews with representatives of the LEONI corporate headquarters (Corporate Human Resources) in Nuremberg and the LEONI Groups Works Council/European Works Council carried out in the first half of 2007.

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, an interview was carried out with a representative of the Deutsche Telekom EWC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. The Deutsche Telekom EWC was established in June 2004.

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 based on interviews carried out in the first half of 20061 in Germany, Slovakia (also covering the Czech Republic) and Poland with Unilever EWC members and management representatives (responsible for HR). In addition, an interview with a representative of the Unilever EWC Secretariat was carried out. The Unilever EWC was established in 1996 and is based on Dutch law.

In recent years, the rapid process of globalisation has triggered a political debate on international working and production standards, and the need for supra-national structures and regulation. The adoption of corporate codes of conduct and international framework agreements (IFAs) is a reflection of the increasing global outreach and influence of multinational companies. This report analyses the impact of both these type of initiative on corporate practice and industrial relations.

This report looks at case studies of EWC practice in companies located in four new Member States – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – in the context of EU enlargement. It investigates the impact of EWC participation on industrial relations in the NMS, considers how EWCs differ in the political and institutional traditions of the NMS, and evaluates the factors that enable EWCs to respond more effectively to the challenges of intracompany competition, relocation and restructuring.