The Role of the European Works Council During Reorganizations: Lessons of the AgirE Project (Le Rôle Du Comité D'Entreprise Européen Au Cours Des Restructurations: Les Leçons Du Projet AgirE)

Abstract

The European Works Council is a transnational actor which represents the workers in European firms. The paper identifies the difficulties and obstacles which limits the powers of EWC (legitimacy in question, content of constitutive agreement, link with national bodies, transnational coordination with European trade union). But the EWC has also capabilities to improve the workers' action inside the reorganization process: action with European trade union, judiciary action, transmission of pertinent information through the group, action with European authorities. The EWC is also a place for mobilizing workers in the European group. It facilitates transnational collective bargaining (International framework agreement). The EWC has a capacity to be a restructurings' central actor.