European Works Councils: an experiment in workplace democracy which remains more relevant than ever

Many businesses operate across a number of different European countries, but the multinational nature of these businesses can make it difficult for workers to be adequately represented in company decision-making. As a way to alleviate this problem, so called European Works Councils have been created to enable workers’ representatives to play a role in managerial decisions at the European level. With 2016 marking the 20th anniversary of these bodies, Romuald Jagodziński assesses their legacy, arguing that current trends among multinational businesses make this form of representation increasingly vital for protecting the interests of European workers.