Sunday, May 11, 2008
[IWS] EIRO: INFORMATION & CONSULTATION DIRECTIVE IMPACT on INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS [9 May 2008]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin Foundation)
European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO)
COMPARATIVE STUDY
Impact of the information and consultation directive on industrial relations [9 May 2008]
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0710029s/index.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0710029s/tn0710029s.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/eiro/tn0710029s/tn0710029s.pdf
[full-text, 34 pages]
Abstract:
This comparative report provides a general overview of the steps taken by the 27 EU Member States and Norway to implement the 2002 Directive on informing and consulting employees in the European Community. The extent of the changes required to existing systems of information and consultation and workplace representation has varied considerably between countries. In some countries, the directive has had few, if any, implications, particularly in those with longstanding statutory works council systems; in others, it has prompted only limited amendments. However, in a number of countries, the directive has driven extensive legislative reform, for example in the UK and Ireland, where a 'voluntarist' industrial relations tradition predominates, and in many of the new Member States. Moreover, the transposition process has generated intense debate in some countries, in particular on the workforce-size thresholds above which undertakings or establishments are covered by information and consultation requirements, and on the nature of the employee representatives through which information and consultation takes place; the latter focus is a major issue in those countries where trade unions have traditionally been the sole or main representation channel. However, most EIRO national centres report that national measures which give effect to the directive have, as yet, had little or no impact on industrial relations practice in their countries, or that it is too early for their effects to be fully assessed.
The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EIRO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Main points of directive
National implementation of directive
Views of social partners
Social partner concerns in Ireland and UK
Impact of directive on industrial relations practice
Commentary
Annex 1: Country codes and abbreviations
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin Foundation)
European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO)
COMPARATIVE STUDY
Impact of the information and consultation directive on industrial relations [9 May 2008]
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0710029s/index.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0710029s/tn0710029s.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/eiro/tn0710029s/tn0710029s.pdf
[full-text, 34 pages]
Abstract:
This comparative report provides a general overview of the steps taken by the 27 EU Member States and Norway to implement the 2002 Directive on informing and consulting employees in the European Community. The extent of the changes required to existing systems of information and consultation and workplace representation has varied considerably between countries. In some countries, the directive has had few, if any, implications, particularly in those with longstanding statutory works council systems; in others, it has prompted only limited amendments. However, in a number of countries, the directive has driven extensive legislative reform, for example in the UK and Ireland, where a 'voluntarist' industrial relations tradition predominates, and in many of the new Member States. Moreover, the transposition process has generated intense debate in some countries, in particular on the workforce-size thresholds above which undertakings or establishments are covered by information and consultation requirements, and on the nature of the employee representatives through which information and consultation takes place; the latter focus is a major issue in those countries where trade unions have traditionally been the sole or main representation channel. However, most EIRO national centres report that national measures which give effect to the directive have, as yet, had little or no impact on industrial relations practice in their countries, or that it is too early for their effects to be fully assessed.
The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EIRO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Main points of directive
National implementation of directive
Views of social partners
Social partner concerns in Ireland and UK
Impact of directive on industrial relations practice
Commentary
Annex 1: Country codes and abbreviations
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 5:48 PM
