Towards a European labour identity : the case of the European Work Council

Comparative in perspective and based on empirical research, this book brings a collection of contributions and insights on how employee representative from different European countries perform their jobs as members of the European Works Councils. Exploring attempts to develop some sense of a common European labour identity, the authors examine not only the workings of the EWCs, utilizing individual case studies, but also analyse and assess the link with the broader discussions on European identity as well as European trade union co-ordination and solidarity.

Contents:

European Works Councils and the problem of identity
Herman Knudsen, Michael Whittall and Fred Huijgen

The European Works Councils Directive: changing rationales for EU regulation of employee participation
Michael Gold

Living apart together? A Corus of multiple identities
Andrew R Timming and Ulke Veersma

Beyond European Works Council networks: The break up of the Rover group
Michael Whittall

Co-ordinating across borders: the role of European industry federations within European Works Councils
Valeria Pulignano

Regional clusters of communication: between national and European identities
Monica Andersson and Christer Thörnqvist

Ethno-, poly-, and Euro-centric European Works Councils: how does German involvement influence their identity?
Helen Bicknell

Still learning from Europe: Spanish participation in European Works Councils
Holm-Detlev Köhler and Sergio Gonzlez Begega

Interest representation and European identity: a twofold challenge for European Works Councils
Volker Telljohann

European Works Council and the feeling of interdependence Hermann Kotthoff

Preparing the ground for a social Europe? European Works Councils and European regulatory identity
Miguel Martínez Lucio and Syd Weston

Coming of age: the development of a collective identity in European Works Councils
Torsten Müller and Stefan Rüb

Tackling the identity dilemma
Fred Huijgen, Michael Whittall and Herman Knudsen