Bulletin of Toyohashi Sozo College , No. 2, It has been over two years since the enforcement of the European Works Councils Directive

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1 Bulletin of Toyohashi Sozo College , No. 2, It has been over two years since the enforcement of the European Works Councils Directive 94/45/EC. The establishment of the councils under the Article 6 agreement is under way in multinational companies in the EU and EEA. Re-examining the so-called neovoluntarist tendency in the legislative approach of the European Commission and the perceptions of the directive by the European social partners, this article proposes a model of evaluation of the institution, particularly focusing upon the employers side. It is discussed that, despite the rather inflexible nature of the directive, improvement in information and consultation has been noted by both employers and employees. European Works Councils 94/45/EC 1970 Vredling EU EEA European Economic Area 17 1, EC neovoluntarism EU15

2 central management special negotiating body ,500 36, opt out 96 9 EFILWC EC W. Streeck and S. Vitols The European Community: Between Mandatory Consultation and Voluntary Information, in W. Streeck and J. Rogers eds. Works Councils: Consultation, Representation and Cooperation in Industrial Relations. Chicago: Chicago University Press. 3 C. Rivest Voluntary European Works Councils, European Journal of Industrial Relations 2 2. pp TUC European Works Councils: A TUC Guide for Trade Unionists. London: LRD Publications. 5 Agreement on procedure for UK implementation of EWCs Directive, European Works Councils Bulletin 11 (September October 1997). 6 TUC. op.cit., p. 15.

3 OECD 1976 ILO P. Kerckhofs La revendication syndicale des comités d entreprise européens et sa traduction dans la directive 94/45/CE mimeo. Université Catholique de Louvain. (P. Kerckhofs La directive sur les comités d entreprise européens, Courrier hebdomadaire du centre de recherche et d information socio-politiques No ) M. Gold and M. Hall Statutory European Works Councils: the final count down? Industrial Relations Journal P. Knutsen Corporatist tendencies in the Euro-polity: the EU Directive of 22 September 1994 on European Works Councils. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 18. EU 1996 EU 1994 EC 16 EU M. Gold and M. Hall Report on European-level Information and Consultation in Multinational Companies: An Evaluation of Practice. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. OECD ILO M. Hall Behind the European Works Councils Directive: the European Commission s legislative strategy, British Journal of Industrial Relations p. 549.

4 Betriebsrat supervisory board EC DG Directorate-General social action programme DG EC EC B P. Kerckhofs op.cit. p /3 1/ /3 dualist

5 EC UNICE Union of Industrial and Employers Confederations of Europe ETUC European Trade Union Confederation Coreper EC 11 EU Tyszkiewicz Auroux M. Hall op.cit. p U. Rehfeldt L expérience des comités de groupe européens, GIP Mutations Industrielles C. Rivest op.cit. p EWC EWC

6 a. b. c a. EC 100 b. c EC a b. SNB P. Kerckhofs La directive sur les comités d entreprise européens, Courrier hebdomadaire du centre de recherche et d information socio-politiques No p Recommendation 16 Gabaglio bona fide Flynn CEEP European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation CBI Confederation of British Industry P. Kerckhofs op.cit. p UNICE Press Release, UNICE Ready to Develop an Effective and Mutually Acceptable Framework for the Information and Consultation of Workers (20 September 1993). 16 UNICE Z. Tyszkiewicz DG5 H. C. Jones Consultation of the Social Partners on Information and Consultation of Workers (13 January 1994).

7 EC P. Kerckhofs op.cit. pp W. Streeck and S. Vitols op.cit. p UNICE Position Paper, Information and Consultation (4 March 1991). UNICE (UNICE. Memorandum in Connection with the Consultation by the European Commission in February 1983, 16 February 1983) 20 M. Hall op.cit. p op.cit. pp

8 MBF UNICE Position Paper, Information and Consultation (7 October 1991). 24 UNICE Position Paper, Information and Consultation (4 March 1991). UNICE. Consultation of the Social Partners on Information and Consultation of Workers (13 January 1994). UNICE. Information and Consultation of Employees Second-stage Consultation (31 March 1994). MBF Thriving on Diversity (Diversité et Prosperité).

9 153 Single European Act 130 a EC TUC Trades Union Congress UNICE. Information and Consultation of Employees Second-stage Consultation (31 March 1994). 26 UNICE F. Perigot Yiannopoulos Information and Consultation of Employees (7 June 1994) 27 P. Kerckhofs op.cit. pp Full impact of EWCs yet to be felt, European Works Councils Bulletin 8 (March/April 1997). 29 TUC Jacques Delors CBI Angus TUC Willis The Times, Business Letters 28 July 1993

10 / M. Hall et al The European Works Councils: Setting the research agenda, Warwick Paper in Industrial Relations Gold consultative delegative (M. Gold Direct Communications in European Multinationals: A Case Study Approach, EFILWC.) 32 W. Müller-Jentsch Germany: From Collective Voice to Co-management, in J. Rogers and W. Streeck ed. op.cit. pp H. Kreikebaum et al Arbeitsgestaltung und Betriebsverfassung. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot. 33 The Times, UK Companies drawn into web of EU social law (23 September 1994). 34 J. Daly The Emerging Shape of the Irish Transposition Legislation. (A Conference Report by the Department of Enterprise and Employment) p M. Gold and M. Hall Report on European-level Information and Consultation in Multinational Companies: An Evaluation of Practice, EFILWC. p. 47.

11 155 EWC I. R Fox Purcell 38 unitarist plurarist 37 J. Daly op.cit. 38 H. F. Gospel and G. Palmer British Industrial Relations. London: Routledge. p. 63.

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Bulletin of Toyohashi Sozo College 1999, No. 3, EU Social Policy and the Market Economy Recent Events concerning the European Works Councils

Bulletin of Toyohashi Sozo College 1999, No. 3, 15 29 15 EU Social Policy and the Market Economy Recent Events concerning the European Works Councils It is now estimated that over 400 European Works Councils