Dedalus and Arianna

Beyond the directive

The function of information and consultation of EWCs is often underestimated and proves to be ineffective in the concrete forms that confrontation between workers and managements take on in real life.

A good information and a relationship of consultation aimed at searching for common solutions (this is the spirit of EWC regulations) are crucial elements to set up a constructive relationship between the parties; the good practices of co-determination in Germany are a good example of this. Also to the purpose of bargaining, good information can be of great help, in particular concerning the overall condition of a company without borders, whose workers need to safeguard their condition in the local area, though being aware of the company’s global situation.

EWCs will therefore certainly never be the final goal of transnational trade union action, but they are doubtlessly a useful tool to get organized and to operate. EWCs will never replace trade union action, but they can support that action with regards to the attributed prerogatives, if their potential is developed.

We will probably never have a norm furthering the empowerment of international trade union action in multinational companies, but in the EU (only existing case in the world) there is a law granting workers the right to get coordinated on a transnational level, to receive information and be consulted without own costs in terms of money or time. All this should not be underestimated, however, it is the task of activists and trade union organizations to raise the bar a little bit every day and study the possible ways to make EWCs more useful to the trade union movement.