Employee Representation in Multinational Companies: The Articulation of Interests in Multilevel Action Fields

Investigating the issue of employee representation in multinational companies (MNCs), this book sets out to systematically conceptualise the modes of articulation between different action fields. While previous studies have focused on forms of employee representation that have emerged throughout recent decades, rather little is known about the interaction and coordination of representational bodies and actors, such as trade unions and European or World Works Councils. Given the growing importance of transnational restructuring in MNCs, understanding the conditions under which employees are able to participate in company decision-making is a crucial issue. Based on empirical case studies and interviews with employee representatives from ten countries across Europe, the authors investigate the role of representational bodies in periods of company restructuring. Proposing a shift in perspectives in research on transnational labour relations and bringing new insights into structures and practices of employee representation in MNCs, this book will be a valuable read for both scholars and practitioners.

About the Author

Thomas Haipeter is Head of the research unit Working Time and Work Organisation at the Institute for Work, Skills and Training (IAQ) at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. His research interests involve industrial relations, work organisation, transnationalisation and dgtlisation. He is member of several professional associations.

Markus Hertwig is Professor of Sociology at Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany. His research focuses on industrial relations and the dgtlisation of work and organisations. He is a board member of the German Industrial Relations Association (GIRA).

Sophie Rosenbohm is a post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Work, Skills and Training (IAQ) at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Her research interests revolve around industrial relations, sociology of work and organisations, and research methods. She is co-editor of the refereed journal Industrielle Beziehungen ( The German Journal of Industrial Relations ).