Title page
Contents
List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 5
Acknowledgments 7
1. Introduction 8
2. The case of Bulgaria 12
3. The case of Bosnia and Herzegovina 21
Introduction 22
1. Normative framework for the activities of trade unions and works councils 23
2/3. Conclusion: Should works councils have greater powers in protecting workers' rights? 28
References 29
4. The case of Greece 30
5. The case of Hungary 50
1. Workers' representation via elected representatives in Hungary 51
2. A few Central and Eastern European characteristics and potentials of workers' representation 55
3. Hints from EU-law: New perspectives for workers' representation? 56
4. Concluding remarks 59
References 60
6. The case of Lithuania 62
1. Evolution of the collective worker representation model in Lithuania 63
2. The current model of works councils 65
3. Representation of employees in OSH committees, participation in employer's decision-making 69
4. Works councils and non-standard forms of employment 69
References 70
7. The case of Moldova 71
Introduction 72
1. Participation of elected workers' representatives in workplace cooperation 72
2. Role of workers 'representatives in collective bargaining 73
3. Worker or employee representatives 75
4. Impact of recent changes in law and practice 76
5. Workers' representatives as a collective voice on digital platforms? 76
Conclusions 77
References 77
8. The case of Montenegro 78
Introduction 79
1. Participation of elected workers' representatives 79
2. Role of workers' representatives in collective bargaining 81
3. Workers' representatives 82
4. Recent changes concerning trade union' representatives on the national industrial relation system 83
Conclusions 84
References 85
9. The case of North Macedonia 86
Introduction 87
1. Participation of elected workers' representatives at the workplace 88
2. Role of workers' representatives in collective bargaining 91
3. Workers' representatives and trade union(s) 93
Conclusion 94
References 95
10. The case of Poland 97
Introduction 98
1. The notion of collective bargaining 98
2. Unorganized workers' representatives and collective bargaining 100
3. Extending the right to collective bargaining to workers' representatives - examples from Central and Eastern Europe 101
Conclusions 104
References 105
11. The case of Romania 106
1. Historical references 107
2. Current regulations on workers' representatives 107
3. Workers' representatives in collective bargaining 109
4. Rights to information and consultation 110
5. Absence of works councils - consequences 111
6. The relationship between workers' representatives and trade unions 112
7. Are workers' representatives a viable alternative to trade union organization? 114
8. Conclusions 115
References 116
12. The case of Serbia 117
Introduction 118
1. Participation of elected workers' representatives 119
2. Workers' representatives in collective bargaining 122
3. Trade union(s), workers' representatives and works councils 123
4. Elected workers' representatives and digital platforms 124
References 127
13. The case of Slovakia 130
14. The case of Slovenia 140
Introduction 141
1. Workers' representative de lege lata 141
2. Relationship with trade unions 145
3/4. Recent developments 146
4/5. Future prospects 146
References 148
15. The case of Ukraine 150
Introduction 151
Legislative framework 151
War and the regulation of industrial relations in Ukraine 152
Peculiarities of the legal status of workers' representatives in Ukraine 153
A case study: Workers' representatives and digital labour platforms 154
Prospects for reforming the institution of workers' representatives 155
Conclusions 156
References 157
4. The case of Greece 40
Table 1. Collective agreements in Greece since 1992 40
6. The case of Lithuania 67
Table 1. Works councils in Lithuania 2017-2022 67
Table 2. Data of the State Labour Inspectorate on employers' requests for termination of employment contracts with employee representatives, 2017-2022 68
13. The case of Slovakia 131
Table 1. Employee representatives 131
Table 2. Trade union organizations and work councils - competencies and legal person status in Slovakia 133
Table 3. Regulation of the relationship between trade unions and works councils 137