The European Cross-border Dimension to Collective Bargaining in Multinational Companies

Abstract

The international dimension is becoming increasingly important to collective bargaining in multinational companies (MNCs) as a result of changes in their operating environment and internal structures. This article examines this process in two sectors and four EU countries. The findings show that although the cross-border dimension to collective bargaining remains muted in formal terms, its significance may be masked by it assuming an implicit rather than explicit character, and that European Works Councils have had some effect in reinforcing the relevance of the international dimension for domestic and, occasionally, transnational collective bargaining.