II‑ Unions, Bargaining and the
Works Council
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In some ways councils and unions quite
separate and in some ways they blend
together
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Employers prefer to deal with councils and to
let employer associations deal with unions
In some ways councils and unions quite separate and in some ways they blend together
Employers would like to keep them separate
Employers prefer to deal with councils and to let employer associations deal with unions
Existence of councils has tended to exclude unions from shop floor
Technically council‑employer agreements can't deal with bargaining issues but distinction hard to maintain
1992 BMW councils accepted Saturday work in exchange for four-day weeks over objection of their union
Growing number of companies have negotiated agreements with their councils designed to lower costs and even subvert industry bargaining agreements