Workers in the Boardroom?

Abstract

The development in some European countries of schemes of employee represerztation on boards of directors has had fundamental effect on the composition and operation of those boards. In nearly all of those cauntries, boards of directors have been divided inio a dual or 'two-tier' structure consisting of an upper, supervisory board and an executive board. These ideas of worker representation on boards and of the introduction of a dual rather than the present unitary board structure have been recommended in the UK. This article examines the relevance of these ideas for Australia, the implications worker directorships will have for board operation, and the likely role of worker directors.