Skating on thin ICE? A critical evaluation of a decade of research on the British Information and Consultation Regulations (2004)

This article critically examines the literature dealing with the British Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) Regulations (2004). It is argued that notwithstanding significant academic interest, the implications of the legislation for employees, trade unions and managers remain under-explored and inadequately theorised. Outlining the principal deficiencies the article suggests scholars could derive much inspiration from the voluminous output relating to both the (sister) European Works Council (EWC) Directive and the continental works council format. The absence of research dealing with the interconnectedness of the ICE and EWC Regulations is similarly highlighted. It is suggested that researchers might usefully import the concept of ‘institutional complementarity’ to extend knowledge of the synergies potentially derived from the operation of both pan-European (EWC) and national (ICE) fora in those organisations where such bodies coexist.