Assessment tool

In the part “Assessment tool” the following terminology is used: by the term EWC members we mean employee representatives (trade union or non-union) from individual locations who have been elected or designated to sit on the EWC. The EWC, so understood, meets, receives information and holds discussions with the central management of the transnational corporation.

The ultimate effectiveness of the EWC’s work will quite obviously depend on the quality of the work and cooperation of the employee representatives and the willingness of the central management to undertake the process of informing/consulting/negotiating with the EWC. It is clear that even the best-functioning EWC made up of highly committed, cooperative, knowledgeable employee representatives can run into a wall of non-cooperation, unwillingness to dialogue on the part of central management. Situations may arise where central management violates national law/directives/contracts establishing EWCs. This thought is obvious. It should be stressed, however, that the first part of the reflection – the part addressed to workers’ representatives – is primarily intended to sensitize EWC members to seek opportunities to increase the efficiency of their work regardless of the attitude of central management.

3.1 questions to workers’ representatives:

WQ1

Does the EWC meet with central management more than once a year? 

YES OR NOT

Are there working groups within the EWC dedicated to specific areas/issues/problems?

YES OR NOT

Is there always a preparatory meeting of employee representatives before the meeting with central management?

YES OR NOT

Is there always a meeting after the meeting with central management to summarise the meeting held with central management?

YES OR NOT

WQ2

Do you see topics related to:

– greening the economy

– reduction of carbon emissions

– digitalisation

– psychosocial risks

– remote working.

Whether there are employee representatives from non-EU countries among the employee representatives (of course, the question only makes sense if the corporation has significant locations in non-EU countries). During the contract negotiations/during the follow-up, did the EWC members raise the demand to include workers’ representatives from non-EU countries (in full or in part) in the work of the EWC and its meetings with central management?

YES OR NOT

WQ3

Do worker representatives exchange information on an ongoing basis on issues of relevance to their locations (these may be issues that will not/cannot be raised in a meeting with central management because they do not meet the ‘transnational issue’ requirement)?

YES OR NOT

Do employee representatives respond honestly and fully to questions from other representatives, even if they concern “sensitive” issues – simply and simply put, do you exchange information about wages in particular groups/ categories of employees? If there has been restructuring of a local nature (e.g. relatively small group redundancies in location X), do you get information from the employee representative of the location as to what has been negotiated (for example, information on severance pay, etc.)?

YES OR NOT

Would you agree with such a sentence: EWC members act as one team we just know each other well, communicate and like each other?

YES OR NOT

WQ4

Would you agree with the following statement: we are aware that central management may try to play one location off against another, but this automatically gives us a red light?

YES OR NOT

Would you agree with the following sentence: all trade unions are treated similarly by central management?  If you wish to do so, will you receive a collective agreement / wage agreement etc. concluded by trade unions at another location within the corporation?

YES OR NOT

Of course, each of the ‘no’ answers to the above questions does not automatically result in a statement about the poor quality of the EWC’s work, but each of the ‘no’s’ requires reflection and an attempt to diagnose whether the problem represented by the given ‘no’ answer cannot be at least partially solved by the employee representatives themselves.

3.2 Part addressed to representatives of central management

Can you indicate what, in your opinion, is the added value resulting from central management meetings with the EWC? Do you see it only as fulfilling a legal obligation on the corporation?

Yes or no

Do EWC meetings with central management take place in different locations, so that on the occasion of the meeting EWC members and central management representatives get to know the different locations?

Yes or no

Can you indicate the demands of the EWC members that were raised during the negation of the EWC agreement and do you know why the central management rejected them? Was it solely due to the fact that the central board does not see the need to “go one step beyond” the minimum standards set out in the directive/national law?

Yes or No

Can you point to provisions in the contract creating the EWC that you would consider to be driven by the specifics of the corporation you represent?

Yes or no

Do EWCs have working groups on any issues/challenges/areas? Did the central management inspire their creation?

Yes or no

Are local employers informed about EWC meetings with central management?

Yes or no

Of course, each of the ‘no’ answers to the above questions does not automatically result in a statement about the poor quality of the EWC’s work, but each of the ‘no’s’ requires reflection and an attempt to diagnose.