Forms of Employee Participation and Conflict Management in the Workplace

Another 12.7 per cent had an alternative representative body (ARB). The key points of contention were working overtime, the wage rate applicable for specific jobs and reorganisation within the firm. In comparison, these and other conflicting topics arose less frequently in companies with no collective employee representation. Within establishments with a works council the intensity of conflicts was higher than in companies with an ARB or those without any collective representation. Conflicts of interest were mostly resolved internally, regardless of the form of employee participation. In order to avoid conflicts, enterprises with a works council often involved workers’ representatives at an early stage, an approach encouraged by Germany’s Works Constitution Act. However, in one out of eleven companies, most of which had a proactive works council – a works council which made use of the rights granted by Germany’s Works Constitution Act – differences were referred to the conciliation committee. Labour courts were addressed three times more often by firms with proactive works councils than by other forms of collective representation. Furthermore, those were also more likely to involve trade union officials. Firms with an ARB tended to choose the less formal approach of exploratory talks, one-on-one meetings and round tables.