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Still Married after All These Years? Union Organizing and the Role of Works Councils in German Industrial Relations

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  • Martin Behrens

Abstract

German trade unions are seeking new ways to counteract a steady downward trend in membership that has dragged on for fifteen years. Works councils' activities aimed at recruiting new members may play an important role in such efforts. The author's analysis of data from the fourth WSI survey of works and staff councils (2004–2005) shows that almost half of all works councils supported unions' recruitment endeavors, using a wide range of methods. Works councils' willingness to take active part in membership recruitment increased substantially when works councilors were personally involved in trade union affairs and were supported by negotiating bodies. Also important was works councilor participation in trade union seminars and training sessions. Favorable perceptions of such institutions were positively associated with the likelihood that works councils would actively engage in new member recruitment. The analysis also reveals a positive association between recruitment activity and plant-level union membership growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Behrens, 2009. "Still Married after All These Years? Union Organizing and the Role of Works Councils in German Industrial Relations," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 62(3), pages 275-293, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:62:y:2009:i:3:p:275-293
    DOI: 10.1177/001979390906200301
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John T. Addison & Claus Schnabel (ed.), 2003. "International Handbook of Trade Unions," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2705.
    2. Joel Rogers & Wolfgang Streeck, 1995. "Works Councils: Consultation, Representation, and Cooperation in Industrial Relations," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number roge95-1.
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    Cited by:

    1. Uwe Jirjahn & Jens Mohrenweiser & Uschi Backes‐Gellner, 2011. "Works Councils and Learning: On the Dynamic Dimension of Codetermination," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(3), pages 427-447, August.
    2. Uwe Jirjahn, 2022. "On the determinants of bargaining‐free membership in German Employers' Associations," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 545-558, November.
    3. John T. Addison & Alex Bryson & Paulino Teixeira & André Pahnke & Lutz Bellmann, 2013. "The Extent of Collective Bargaining and Workplace Representation: Transitions between States and their Determinants. A Comparative Analysis of Germany and Great Britain," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 60(2), pages 182-209, May.
    4. Uwe JIRJAHN & Stephen C. SMITH, 2018. "Nonunion Employee Representation: Theory And The German Experience With Mandated Works Councils," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(1), pages 201-233, March.
    5. Uwe Jirjahn, 2021. "Foreign ownership and intra-firm union density in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 42(4), pages 1052-1079, November.
    6. John S. Heywood & Uwe Jirjahn, 2014. "Variable Pay, Industrial Relations and Foreign Ownership: Evidence from Germany," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(3), pages 521-552, September.
    7. Boris Hirsch & Steffen Mueller, 2020. "Firm Wage Premia, Industrial Relations, and Rent Sharing in Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(5), pages 1119-1146, October.
    8. repec:bla:annpce:v:89:y:2018:i:1:p:201-233 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Steffen Mueller & Georg Neuschaeffer, 2021. "Worker Participation in Decision‐making, Worker Sorting, and Firm Performance," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 436-478, October.
    10. Martin Behrens & Andreas Pekarek, 2023. "Delivering the goods? German industrial relations institutions during the COVID‐19 crisis," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 126-144, April.
    11. Daniel Arnold & Tobias Brändle & Laszlo Goerke, 2018. "Sickness Absence and Works Councils: Evidence from German Individual and Linked Employer–Employee Data," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 260-295, April.
    12. John T. Addison & Alex Bryson & Paulino Teixeira & André Pahnke & Lutz Bellmann, 2013. "The Extent of Collective Bargaining and Workplace Representation: Transitions between States and their Determinants. A Comparative Analysis of Germany and Great Britain," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 60(2), pages 182-209, May.
    13. Steffen Mueller & Jens Stegmaier, 2017. "The Dynamic Effects of Works Councils on Labour Productivity: First Evidence from Panel Data," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 55(2), pages 372-395, June.
    14. Uwe Jirjahn, 2016. "Works Councils and Employer Attitudes toward the Incentive Effects of HRM Practices," Research Papers in Economics 2016-07, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    15. Steffen Mueller, 2015. "Works Councils and Labour Productivity: Looking beyond the Mean," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(2), pages 308-325, June.
    16. Clément Brébion, 2020. "The impact of works council membership on wages in Germany: a case of strategic discrimination?," Working Papers halshs-02436686, HAL.
    17. Clément Brébion, 2022. "The wage impact of being a works council representative in Germany: A case of strategic discrimination?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 418-455, October.

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