FUNCTIONS
OF Betriebsrat
A
Betriebsrat
is a legal body constituted to protect the right of the employees and
for keeping an operational participation opposite the employer of the
organization in the private enterprises. However, it is known by
different forms and names in the European countries. With the
changing environment in the industrial sector there was a huge demand
for employee participation in the decision making process. Soon, the
demand got heard and the employee- employer relation transformed into
colleague based interactions. The European Betriebsrat
is the perfect example where employee participation in decision
making is given utmost importance. This marked the establishment of
the process of consulting and informing the employees in the
companies that worked at the European Union level.
The Single European Act triggered the reconstructuring process, which resulted in the creation of the council. The council helps to establish a direct line of communication between the employees and the employer. In most of the councils, the employers are meant to disclose any matter of interests to the workers before implementing any policies or decisions in the organization. The members of the council are elected directly with the help of direct ballot voting process. The employees formulate the nominations for the voting process by common consent. Among the various functions of the Betriebsrat, the most important one is the power of consent, where the employer must seek consent of the members of the council before any policy change or withdrawal of policies, which includes rules of hours of work, holidays, payment system, health security of the employees at the workplace, etc. The council possesses the right to seek information from the employer in economic matters as well, in case of any merger, change of authority, expansion programs etc.
Sometimes problems do arise where the powers of the council and the union overlap. For example in case of any merger, the employer must ask for the consent of the council and even will have to give a chance to the union to express their view. However, putting aside the conflicts the council is a great forum for the union to express their views and opinions. The Betriebsrat mainly deals with the labour related issues, organizational matters, and production policies. They deal very less in financial matters. They mainly monitor and keep a watch on the employer’s policies rather than making their own. The employers of various organizations give serious thoughts to the council’s decisions to establish a mutual relationship with the employees.
The Single European Act triggered the reconstructuring process, which resulted in the creation of the council. The council helps to establish a direct line of communication between the employees and the employer. In most of the councils, the employers are meant to disclose any matter of interests to the workers before implementing any policies or decisions in the organization. The members of the council are elected directly with the help of direct ballot voting process. The employees formulate the nominations for the voting process by common consent. Among the various functions of the Betriebsrat, the most important one is the power of consent, where the employer must seek consent of the members of the council before any policy change or withdrawal of policies, which includes rules of hours of work, holidays, payment system, health security of the employees at the workplace, etc. The council possesses the right to seek information from the employer in economic matters as well, in case of any merger, change of authority, expansion programs etc.
Sometimes problems do arise where the powers of the council and the union overlap. For example in case of any merger, the employer must ask for the consent of the council and even will have to give a chance to the union to express their view. However, putting aside the conflicts the council is a great forum for the union to express their views and opinions. The Betriebsrat mainly deals with the labour related issues, organizational matters, and production policies. They deal very less in financial matters. They mainly monitor and keep a watch on the employer’s policies rather than making their own. The employers of various organizations give serious thoughts to the council’s decisions to establish a mutual relationship with the employees.
