The works council, as a participatory means of regulating the employer-employee relation, is long established in Western European countries, but has failed to take significant root in other parts of the world where it has been tried. This is particularly the case where transition from socialist state control to a particularly free-wheeling form of capitalism and massive privatization has wreaked havoc on the employer-employee relation. This book is the first in-depth exploration of the legal, political, and cultural forces that complicate this transposition. Focusing on Eastern and Central Europe, where the works council system has been most extensively applied and where the evident reasons for its lack of purchase are most telling, the contributors examine the relevant experience, both negative and positive, in twelve countries, with a particular focus on non-union representation of workers. Many important issues pertinent to workers' representation in general in a globalized world are covered, including the following: cooperation and confrontation between trade unions and works councils; insufficient division of competences between the two representative bodies; legal norms concerning both trade union and works councils independence from employers' interference; ; ; ; ;need for serious and dissuasive sanctions against creation of employer-controlled ('yellow') unions; need for extension to non-union workers of protection from anti-union discrimination; real vs. formal implementation of EU norms in Eastern European Member States; unnecessarily complicated regulation of institutions of representation; ; lack of protection against dismissal of non-union representatives; responsibility for breach of employers' obligation to consult and inform; and employers' lack of legitimacy in the eyes of workers. ; ; ; ; ; There is general agreement among these authors that, as long as human beings spend a serious part of their lives at the workplace, they must be allowed not merely to express opinions about the job but have a real influence on it. Fully aware of the sensitivity of these issues in market economies, the authors' careful research and call for public discussion open the path to real changes in the existing system, clearly in Eastern Europe but to be much desired elsewhere also.

This publication contains eight essays which explore the changing role of trade unions in ex-communist countries during the 15 years of transition from a planned to a market economy. It is intended to provide a mechanism to stimulate debate and discussion amongst trade unions in the region as to how they can improve representation of members, examine structures and strengthen their influence in public policy. It seeks to provide a framework for the process of union strategic planning, and also to help guide ILO technical work in this area.

Why, given political freedom coupled with adverse economic change, has labour been so quiescent since the fall of communism in Eastern Europe? Through the use of case studies, this text explores the extent of these weaknesses and the relationship between labour and politcs in these countries.

Comprises 17 papers which discuss tripartism, social dialogue and industrial relations in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

This book examines the integration of major trade unions from the six biggest countries of EU's Eastern enlargement into EU governance structures. Based on extensive empirical research, including more than 150 in-depth interviews, statistical data collection, document research, and eight detailed case studies, the contributions describe the activities and perceptions of the trade unions under investigation and the different levels of engagement, including European umbrella organizations, interregional cooperation, and European Works Councils. The book thus contributes to political science research on interest representation and Europeanization as well as sociological research on labor relations.

A unique exploration of the the contributions made by multinational corporations to the difficult labour market transitions towards full integration of Central and Eastern Europe members of the European Union. This book considers the roles played by US, British and German multinational companies (MNCs) in Central and Eastern Europe