Non-implementation of European Works Council Directive in German Multinationals

Deutsch

Sponsor:

Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (HBS)

Duration:

24 months (01.11.2006 – 31.10.2008)

Summary

After twenty-years of endeavour the 1994 European Works Council Directive (EWCD) finally marked a unique breakthrough in the field of European social policy, the legislation collectively empowering employees within multinational undertakings in Europe with information and consultation rights. This development is perceived as an important step in complementing, rather than replacing, existing national representative practices under pressure from an increasing internationalisation of company structures.

Although quantitative and qualitative research respectively offers some understanding of the EWCD’s impact and how EWCs function, interest into density issues remains an underdeveloped area of research. Considering the importance of developing supranational employee representation in light of global economic and political developments implies there is a serious need to understand factors which hinder the setting-up of EWCs, the so-called density deficit. Surprisingly, current research indicates that Germany, a role-model for co-determination, has to contend with an EWCD implementation deficit. According to ETUC data only 27 % of German firms covered by the Directive have so far negotiated an EWC. The actual size of the problem as well as the reasons for actors not taking advantage of this piece of European legislation remains debatable, though.

The research project has two purposes: firstly, to provide a reliable body of data to draw from and secondly to empirically study the deficit issue. In the later case a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods are applied.

Team

• Dr. Michael Whittall
  Phone: +49 89 289-24206
  E-Mail: michael.whittall @ wi.tum.de
• Dr. Stefan Lücking
  Phone: +49 89 289-24233
  E-Mail: stefan.luecking @ wi.tum.de
• Michael Bolte M.A.
  E-Mail: michael.bolte @ wi.tum.de
• Prof. Dr. Rainer Trinczek
  Phone: +49 89 289-24216
  E-Mail: rainer.trinczek @ ws.tum.de

Preliminary Findings

• Implementation of European Works Council Directive in German Multinationals. Prelimary results of the database project on German multinationals (updated 20.12.2007)
• Understanding the European Works Council Deficit in German Multinationals. Extended Abstract for the IIRA European Conference 2007 in Manchester

Further information

• Information about European Works Councils in the World Wide Web
• Publication: Towards a European Labour Identity. The case of the European Work Council