Langs lijnen van geleidelijkheid

Abstract

Going forward step by step: The development of worker participation in Works Councils Based on empirical research we describe in this contribution the development of the Works Council in the Netherlands during the past decennia. The Works Council was introduced by law in 1950 as an important institution for worker participation at company level and research demonstrates that nowadays it occupies a solid position in the Dutch system of labor relations. Most companies actually have established a Works Council, according to the legal obligations. Most employees have the opinion that the Works Council is an important channel for the promotion of their interests. Works Councils ánd employers generally are positive about the functioning of the Works Council in this sense and perceive a growing influence of worker participation in their companies' policy, in particular in decisions regarding the companies' social regulations and working conditions. Important preconditions for this generally positive development are the level of competence and experience of Works Councils' members, the improved relationships with employers, that provide more opportunities for early involvement in decision making, and the stronger embedment of Works Councils in the organization as a whole. On this last point, however, still further improvements are possible, for instance through more direct involvement of the employees themselves in specific Works Councils' tasks. Such a specific involvement could tackle at the same time the problem that animosity for fulltime Works Council candidacy is rather low. Another point of attention is that due to its early involvement in decision making the Works Council runs the risk of loosing too much of its controlling power on behalf of employees, balancing the power of the employers. It is this double role as a sparring partner of management and as a countervailing power in the organization that provides a really challenging task for Works Councils, which requires a high level of competence of its members and a sound embedment among the employees.