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Transnational Alliances for Negotiating International Framework Agreements: Power Relations and Bargaining Processes between Global Union Federations and E uropean W orks C ouncils
Author(s) -
Dehnen Veronika
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
british journal of industrial relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.665
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-8543
pISSN - 0007-1080
DOI - 10.1111/bjir.12038
Subject(s) - negotiation , multinational corporation , order (exchange) , representation (politics) , business , bargaining power , work (physics) , power (physics) , core (optical fiber) , international trade , industrial organization , political science , public relations , law , engineering , telecommunications , finance , mechanical engineering , physics , quantum mechanics , politics
Why should E uropean W orks C ouncils ( EWCs ) discuss the International Labour Organisation's core labour standards? With respect to their legal duties, EWCs are information and consultation bodies on E uropean topics. In practice, they can become main actors in negotiating and implementing international framework agreements ( IFAs ) about core labour standards in multinational companies. Using theoretical models of internal and inter‐organizational bargaining, the author highlights the role of those E uropean bodies that work together with Global Union Federations (GUFs) during negotiations. In order to analyse the different forms of actors' involvement in negotiations, empirical data from a content analysis of all IFAs , as well as three company case studies, will be presented. It will be argued that internal bargaining between EWCs and GUFs influences negotiations with management. Furthermore, the article discusses the role of norms and institutions that shape internal as well as inter‐organizational bargaining processes, and lead to different forms of involvement of employee representation bodies.