Employee participation in the EU countries – a comparative analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26485/SPE/2021/120/12Keywords:
employee participation, European Union, trade union density, corporate governanceAbstract
Background: Employee participation includes plant-level representation, board-level employee representation, and trade union participation, i.e., trade union density and collective bargaining coverage. The author presents the European Union countries that are leaders in particular areas of participation and defines the factors that determine this situation. The changes in the strength of the “employee voice” caused by the economic crisis are also highlighted in this article.
Research purpose: The aim of the article is to compare the three components of the European Participation Index (EPI) in the EU countries and to determine the changes in the value of this indicator in the period 2009–2019 between particular countries.
Methods: The article was largely based on a review of selected publications, available statistical data from the OECD and ICTWSS databases, and the results of a study conducted in 2019 by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and the Cedefop agency, and a study by European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The basis for the analysis is the EPI values estimated by De Spiegelaere and Vitols from the European Trade Union Institute.
Conclusions: The conclusion is that the strength of the “employee voice” in the EU countries in the period 2009–2019 decreased by 8%, with the largest decline recorded in the component of trade union participation. The greatest fluctuations in the value of the EPI took place in the Czech Republic, which in 2013 was 13th in the ranking, falling to 20th place the following year, and moving up to 12th place in 2017.
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