A European Works Council (EWC) brings together employee representatives from the European countries in which a multinational company (MNC) has operations, to be informed and consulted by central management on transnational issues of concern to the company's employees. By this means, EWCs can bridge the gap between transnational MNC decision making and its implications for employees. This thesis explores EWC developments to assess whether employee representatives are becoming more successful in this bridge building. The performance of EWCs is examined within nine longitudinal case studies. A comparative analysis identifies similarities and differences in EWC developments. EWC development is recorded in all case studies, albeit in different aspects and to different degrees. Preparations and negotiations prior to the establishment of the EWC involve learning effects that help the EWe to be carried out in practice. This learning can result in changes when the EWC agreement is renegotiated. A SUbstantial number of developments are observed in the frequency and duration of EWC meetings. The quality of meetings depends on the information and consultation of the EWe and thus on the relationship with central management. Consolidation of close working relationships with central management is found in the resources provided to the EWC and in the development of a negotiation capacity within the EWC. Developments of EWCs are examined in the perspective of their internal cooperation and in their extemal networking with trade unions and other employee representation structures. Insofar as MNC restructuring is driven by European economic integration and EU enlargement, all EWCs are facing comparable challenges. Despite the lack of progress made in the revision of the EWC Directive, EWCs are not static. The different kinds of EWC developments observed can substitute for - or depend on - other EWC developments. This study aims to arrive at an understanding of what drives the observed developments and to what extend such developments can be directed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:511215 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Kerckhofs, Peter |
| Publisher | University of Manchester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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