Should The United States Adopt A Works Council In Germany

According to the Trade Union Congress, work councils in Europe bring together representatives of managers and employees “in order to promote dialogue, and to ensure that workers are informed and consulted” (European Works Council, n.d.). It is important to note that these councils bring together representatives of all employees; those in the union and those who are not. Works Councils have been adopted in France, Italy, the Netherland, Austria, Spain, Belgium and most notably in Germany. While these are popular in Europe, US Labor Law does not discuss works councils. The only entities that can represent employees in the US are labor unions. We are arguing that the United States should adopt works councils are as a type of employee representation

Works councils also have distinct rights given to them that are different than rights given to unions. Due to these distinct rights, a company must jointly discuss issues regarding work rules and disciple, working hours, schedules, overtime, safety and health, and training. Discussions of wages and benefits are left to labor unions in Germany and are not what works councils discuss. The purpose of a works council is to create an environment where these issues can be discussed by both employees and management. Just like with labor unions in the US, employers in Germany and throughout Europe cannot unilaterally take action without first discussing the above issues with the works councils. The relationship between works councils and managements is generally a good relationship that focuses on cooperation and

Madland also states that “One of the key things about formalized works councils is they often require real sharing from management” about their plans. That gives workers more information and more of a chance to weigh in on what they want to see in future changes that occur in the workplace. Although these employee voices bring up issues and wishes, the work councils ideas also align with what the employers want in their workplaces. “[The workers] really want a more collaborative process where workers have some power,” he said, but with unions, they worry that their employers will be antagonistic toward organizing. With a works council, workers “see that their employer recognizes and wants something like this too.” As Richard Freeman told ThinkProgress.org, “In Europe, workers are more favorable in general to their works council than they are to their union because it’s closer to them.” (Covert,