Mitbestimmung und Arbeitnehmerrechte in Europa

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Overview Employee board-level representation in
Europe Norbert Kluge and Michael Stollt,
ETUI-REHS European Trade Union Institute for
Research, Education and Health and Safety
(Brussels) ETUI-REHS Seminar A European
dimension to the training of employee
board-level representatives 30.5. 1.6.2007,
Elewijt / Brussels
ETUI-REHS
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Employee board-level representation A definition

• Definition contained in the European Company (SE)
  Directive
• "participation" means the influence of the body
  representative of the employees and/or the
  employees' representatives in the affairs of a
  company by way of
• the right to elect or appoint some of the
  members of the company's supervisory or
  administrative organ, or
• the right to recommend and/or oppose the
  appointment of some or all of the members of the
  company's supervisory or administrative organ.
• "participation", l'influence qu'a l'organe
  représentant les travailleurs et/ou les
  représentants des travailleurs sur les affaires
  d'une société
• en exerçant leur droit d'élire ou de désigner
  certains membres de l'organe de surveillance ou
  d'administration de la société ou
• en exerçant leur droit de recommander la
  désignation d'une partie ou de l'ensemble des
  membres de l'organe de surveillance ou
  d'administration de la société et/ou de s'y
  opposer.
• "Mitbestimmung" die Einflussnahme des Organs zur
  Vertretung der Arbeitnehmer und/oder der
  Arbeitnehmervertreter auf die Angelegenheiten
  einer Gesellschaft durch
• die Wahrnehmung des Rechts, einen Teil der
  Mitglieder des Aufsichts- oder des
  Verwaltungsorgans der Gesellschaft zu wählen oder
  zu bestellen, oder
• die Wahrnehmung des Rechts, die Bestellung eines
  Teils der oder aller Mitglieder des Aufsichts-
  oder des Verwaltungsorgans der Gesellschaft zu
  empfehlen und/oder abzulehnen.

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A first glance The European map of board-level
representation
(Board-level) representation rights in the 30
countries applying the SE legislation
A feature known to many national corporate
governance and interest representation systems
ETUI-REHS 2007
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Where do employee representatives sit?
Two different corporate governance systems in
Europe
Dualistic system (Two-tier System) Management
organ plus separate supervisory organ
Monistic System (One-tier System) one
Administrative organ (Board of Directors)
Different terminology
worker director
Employee representative on the supervisory board
(? labour director)
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Monistic vs. Dualistic structure in Europe
(EU-273)
Monistic Structure (15) ? Board of Directors
Dualistic Structure (8) ? Management board and
supervisory board
IS
FI
Choice (7)
SE
NO
EE
DK
LV
IE
NL
LT
UK
BE

• BLR is more widespread in two-tier systems (but
  not limited to)

PL
DE
CZ
SK
LU
AT
HU
FR
RO
PT
IT
ES
SI
LI
BG
GR
MT
CY
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Employee board-level participation in the 30
countries applying the European Company (SE)
legislation

• Main differences
• Ownership structure
• Company form and data
• Sector of activity
• Employee thresholds
• Number of representatives
• Selection procedure, role of the unions
• Competencies of the board
• ? Each system is unique.

Abbreviations TU trade union / WC works
council or elected workplace representatives M
monistic structure (board of directors) / D
dualistic model (management board and supervisory
board) including privatised companies
N. Kluge and M. Stollt (2007)
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BLR in the EU member states Recent developments

• Germany (December 2006)
• Reports of Government set-up Commission on the
  modernisation of employee BLR in Germany
  (Biedenkopf-Kommission)
• Employers demands for lowering the existing
  standard 1/3 not 1/2 - removal of external
  trade unionists reduction of board size
• Academic members overall very positive
  conclusions on the contribution of BLR to
  interest reconciliation, no economic and
  competitive disadvantage?no need for fundamental
  changes
• Slovenia (April 2006)
• Two-tier or one-tier system possible
• 2-tier standard maintained
• 1-tier no representation in small companies, 1/5
  1/3 of board
• Hungary (July 2006)
• Two-tier or one-tier system possible (only public
  limited companies)
• 2-tier no changes, unless there is an agreement
  between works council and management to the
  contrary
• 1-tier no minimum legal standard, free
  negotiations between works council and management