IN MOST of Europe works councils deal with such dull matters as working hours and safety.
In Germany, works councils are not the same as unions, though the two often cooperate.
Mandatory company works councils still subsidise, among other things, employees' holidays.
Overall, the position of the examined Dutch works councils is solid.
These two features, collective bargaining and works councils, characterise the dual structure of the German system of industrial relations.
Another option is sectoral bargaining at the branch level accompanied by works agreements on the German pattern (i.e., between management and works councils).
According to the Works Constitution Act as the relevant law, works councils can be set up in private sector establishments with at least five permanent employees.
In both scales work councils are significant disadvantageous.
Based on the considerations above, the authors hypothesised that: (1) Full-time and volunteer works councils perceive psychosocial stress and strain different (2) Compared to other professions with partly matching tasks, work councils indicate disadvantageous values.
The chance of activity level B is influenced most strongly by occupational health specialist assistance, followed by (in descending order) safety specialist assistance, economic situation and works councils.
