Overview of workplace representation across the EU
A European overview of various channels (works council, trade union) of employee workplace represenation, including minimum thresholds required to activate the workers' rights to representation.
Workplace representation in Europe, 2014 |
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Through employees representatives |
Through union bodies |
Main employee representation at workplace through: |
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Works council or |
Threshold |
Union delegation or |
Threshold a) |
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Austria |
X |
From 5 employees. |
There is no direct trade union representation in the workplace. But in most cases the unions play a crucial part in the works councils' effective operation. |
Works council. |
|
Belgium |
X |
From 101 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union and works council – but union dominates. |
Bulgaria |
X |
No threshold / from 20 or 50 employees. b) |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – but law also provides for the election of employee representatives. |
Croatia |
X |
From 20 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union and works council – but where no works council exist unions can take over its rights and duties. |
Czech Republic |
X |
No threshold. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – but works council can be set up as well. |
Denmark |
X c) |
From 35 employees. |
X |
In most agreements the right to elect a trade union representative starts once there are more than 5 employees in the workplace. |
Union – but employee groups from outside the union can be represented in the structure. |
Estonia |
X |
No threshold. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – but since 2007 employee representatives can be elected as well. |
Finland |
X |
From 20 employees. |
X |
Each workplace has a trade union representative. |
Union |
France |
X |
From 11 employees / from 50 employees. |
X |
From 50 employees. |
Union and works council / employee delegates – but union normally dominates if present. |
Germany |
X |
From 5 employees. |
There is no direct trade union representation in the workplace. But the unions have a major influence on the works councils' operation. |
Works council. |
|
Greece |
X |
From 50 employees (from 20 employees if there is no union body). |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – works councils exist in theory but not often in practice. |
Hungary |
X |
From 51 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union and works council. |
Ireland |
X d) |
From 50 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – but other structures are possible and since 2006 these can be triggered by employees. |
Italy |
X |
From 16 employees. |
The elected employee representatives are essentially union bodies. |
Union – although largely elected by all employees. |
|
Latvia |
X |
From 5 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – although possible to elect other representatives since 2002. |
Lithuania |
x (If there are no union representatives) |
No threshold. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – or works council (since 2003) if there is no union. |
Luxembourg |
X |
From 15 employees. |
Unions have important rights in this structure and the majority of employee representatives are union members. |
Works council / employee delegates (with employee delegates replacing the works council since 2013). |
|
Malta |
X e) |
From 50 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union. |
Netherlands |
X |
From 50 employees. |
In many organisations collective agreements give trade unions at work specific rights. |
Works council. |
|
Poland |
X |
From 50 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union and works council – |
Portugal |
X |
No threshold. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – works councils exist in theory but less frequently in practice. |
Romania |
X (If there are no union representatives) |
From 21 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – other employee representation is rare. |
Slovak Republic |
X |
From 50 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union and works council (since 2003). |
Slovenia |
X |
From 21 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union and works council. |
Spain |
X |
From 11 employees. |
X |
From 250 employees. |
Works council – although dominated by unions. |
Sweden |
No works council. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union. |
|
United Kingdom |
X f) |
From 50 employees. |
X |
Depends on union agreement. |
Union – but other structures are possible and since 2005 these can be triggered by employees. |
Norway |
X |
From 100 employees (obligatory). |
X |
The number of union representatives is linked directly to the number of union members in the company who belong to each union confederation. |
Union – “works councils” exist in some companies but their role is to improve competitiveness. |
Switzerland |
X |
. |
At least some of the employee representatives are members of a trade union and/or advised by trade unions. |
Works council. |
|
(a) Often there is no threshold by law for union representatives, the number then depends on the rules of the union. However, there are often legal limits on the number of union representatives who can benefit from specific legal rights and job protections. ‒ |
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Sources: European Worker Participation Competence Centre (EWPCC): http://www.worker-participation.eu/National-Industrial-Relations/Countries (July 2015) and |
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