Seminar for European Works Councils and SE Works Councils
(Level 1 and level 2)
11 - 14 April 2023, Montabaur Castle
Since 2009, we have held our basic seminar once a year: the EWC introductory days for beginners and the consultation seminar for advanced learners. Some of the participants still have the idea of setting up a European Works Council, others want to know about the design of transnational consultation procedures. One seminar module deals with workplace representation and collective bargaining in the most important EU countries.
Programme:
The practical work of an EWC
The Directive on the European Works Council (EWC Directive) has existed since September 1994. Many of the approximately 3,000 companies that exceed the threshold of 1,000 employees (150 of them in two different countries) and are thus subject to this Directive are still awaiting the establishment of a European works council. In Germany alone, this affects more than 300 companies. With this seminar we want to explain the legal basis of a European works council and provide practical initiatives for EWC work.
- Structure and tasks of the EWC, statutory minimum standards
- The legal steps to form the Special Negotiating Body (SNB)
- Procedure and points of attention for the negotiations
- How do local workplace representatives benefit from an EWC?
- What options does the EWC have in case of restructuring?
- How can works councils organize their transnational activities?
Workplace representation in EU countries
National labour law ends at national borders. An international group's works council must maintain regular exchange with employee representatives in other EU countries, if it wishes to prevent central management from deliberately working with false figures and thereby playing off domestic and foreign sites, e.g. in the event of employment changes or restructuring. In addition to language barriers, intercultural conflicts could arise.
- What are the tasks of workplace representatives in other countries?
- Which models of industrial relations exist?
- How do works councils operate with their national participation rights?
- What attitude do employers have towards their works council?
Without an understanding of labour law and cultures, even simultaneous interpretation can quickly lead to misunderstandings. This seminar module aims to shed light on the different systems of industrial relations.
The new standards of information and consultation
A new legal definition for information and consultation of the European works council has been in force in all countries of the European Economic Area since June 2011. Many works council members face the question of how they can meet new standards in their practical work. What does a correct consultation procedure look like?
- Definition of information and consultation
- Practical layout of an information and consultation procedure
- Transnational competence of the EWC
- Cooperation between European and national works councils
- Practical procedure in the EWC based on a case study
- How to develop alternative scenarios during consultation?
- How to integrate local works councils in individual countries?
- Development of a reporting system
For beginners(only on request, please note when registering)
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Our speakers:
Dr Werner Altmeyer
Managing Director of the EWC Academy
Udo Verzagt
Former Chair of Hewlett-Packard's European Works Council
Rainer Appel
Consultant of the EWC Academy in reorganisation and restructuring issues
