works council
- noun
- Jargon
:
comité de empresa
- In Germany, the works council plays a crucial role in representing employees during negotiations with management.
- form works council
And I'd say that in Germany, first of all, employees feel they have a stake in the company because they've got representation on on the works council board.
- And I'd say that in Germany, first of all, employees feel they have a stake in the company because they've got representation on on the works council board.
Examples
-
In some cases, the employer may not change certain employee policies without the consent of the works council.
Academic text (2007) -
A key requirement is that works councils be consulted before employees are dismissed or hired.
Academic text (2007) -
There is no real U.S. equivalent to works councils.
Academic text (2007) -
If a company fails to comply, the works council may take steps to block its hiring or firing decisions.
Academic text (2007) -
U.S. companies operating overseas also must adjust to the widespread existence of works councils, which are panels of employees established to work closely with the management of a company on policies that directly affect workers.
Academic text (2007) -
In Germany, for example, workers have legal rights to form works councils that have legal rights to information, consultation, and joint decision-making (co-determination) in various company decisions.
Academic text (1994) -
The works council must be involved in discussions about changes to working conditions and employee pay.
-
Employees often rely on the works council to address their grievances with the company management.
Synonyms
572
2.9
A group of people who meet to discuss and make decisions about a town or organization
How Official
- Formal
1
4.1
12
2.8
- Jargon
- Jargon
3
5.8
123
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'works' (a place of production/the workplace) combined with 'council' (a group convened to discuss/manage) yields a council associated with the workplace. A B1 learner who knows these constituent meanings can reasonably infer it denotes a representative body of employees, though the precise legal status is region-specific.
Etymology
Works council comes from the older use of works meaning a factory or workplace and council meaning a small group that meets to decide things. Workers in factories set up these councils to speak to managers, so today works council means 'a group of employees elected to represent workers' in talks with management.