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Workers' participation in Czechia and Slovakia

Author

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  • Marta Kahancová

Abstract

This paper reviews the formation of worker participation and its current regulation and practice in Czechia and Slovakia. The formation of worker participation in these countries is traced back to the legacies of state socialism prior to 1989, economic transformations in the 1990s as well as EU accession and the implementation of the EU Directive on Information and Consultation of Employees after 2002. The paper shows that worker participation in Czechia and Slovakia is firmly institutionalized and embedded in both countries’ legal systems. Trade unions are the most important organizations representing workers’ interests, whereas the relevance of works councils and other participation forms remains marginal. However, the actual practice of worker representation and participation is declining due to decreasing union and employer densities and bargaining decentralization; and due to the strong dependence of employment relations in Czechia and Slovakia on labour legislation. To maintain a strong role of worker participation at the plant level, it is essential to overcome power struggles between trade unions and works councils and develop direct initiatives facilitating workplace democracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Kahancová, 2017. "Workers' participation in Czechia and Slovakia," Discussion Papers 44, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).
  • Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:44
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    File URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP44.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ferner, Anthony & Quintanilla, Javier & Varul, Matthias Z., 2001. "Country-of-origin effects, host-country effects, and the management of HR in multinationals: German companies in Britain and Spain," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 107-127, July.
    2. Svejnar, Jan, 1996. "Enterprises and Workers in the Transition: Econometric Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(2), pages 123-127, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mária Sedláková, 2020. "Articulation of the Trade Unions’ Strategies on upward convergence of social standards in the enlarged European Union – voice of CEE countries ARTUS‐CEE National report: Slovakia," Research Reports 40, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    trade unions; works councils; worker participation; Czechia; Slovakia; postsocialism; legal system; labour legislation;
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