In 1994 the European Works Councils Directive was adopted. It marked a major breakthrough for workers representation at the European level. Twenty years later, however, the outcome of this legal provision remains ambivalent. While around 1,000 multinationals have set up a European Works Council,...

This article evaluates the role performed by BMW's European Works Council (EWC) in the recent Rover crisis. During this period of great uncertainty a picture emerges whereby contacts achieved through the EWC came to play a central role in discussions and negotiations with BMW and Rover...