Codetermination

Im Zuge der Diskussion um alternative Wirtschaftsformen sind auch Genossenschaften wieder in den Fokus der Öffentlichkeit gerückt. Wie aber setzen Genossenschaften das Ideal demokratischer Partizipation in der Praxis um? Und wie verhält sich die Beteiligung der Mitglieder zur Mitbestimmung der Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer? Anhand von vierzehn Fallstudien zeichnet diese Studie ein differenziertes Bild der Partizipationspraxis in Genossenschaften. Auch wenn so manche Genossenschaft vom demokratischen Ideal weit entfernt ist, zeigt die Studie, unter welchen Voraussetzungen ihr demokratisches Potenzial genutzt werden kann.

In the paper, three European concepts of employee participation are presented: German codetermination, Basque Mondragón Cooperative, and European Works Councils. Their historical development, fundamental features and functioning principles are described. The author also clarifies the main points of criticism, which are raised against these participation schemes.

"Existing studies on employers’ preferences towards institutions of class
cooperation suggest that certain types of employers support these institutions
because they provide economic benefits. To test this thesis, this paper examines
attitudes of German employers towards board-level codetermination. It compares
firms’ attitudes at the individual and the collective level: individual firms’ attitudes
are analysed using survey data and media statements from individual executives;
collective attitudes are analysed using policy statements from the national
business federations. The paper finds considerable support for board-level codetermination
among individual firms but continued opposition from the federations.
The paper suggests that this difference arises from the federations
strategically over-representing dissatisfied members. The promotion of voluntary
arrangements allows the federations to campaign against board-level codetermination
without alienating the satisfied members. The paper highlights the need to
complement a micro-foundational analysis of preference formation with an
analysis of intra-associational processes of preference aggregation."

Autor: Teodoro Campos

Español

Este artículo tiene como propósito hacer un recuento de algunos aspectos históricos y conceptuales del proceso de cogestión en ALCASA para facilitar su estudio y comprensión, así como para contribuir a los debates que en este momento se dan en el país en torno al papel de los trabajadores en la gestión de las empresas, el papel de los sindicatos en nuestro tiempo y, en general, los temas relacionados con el protagonismo de los trabajadores en la construcción de lo que ha sido denominado como Socialismo del Siglo XXI en Venezuela.

Palabras clave: Cogestión; Sindicatos; Economía Social; Venezuela

English

This article aims to recount some historical and conceptual aspects of the process of co-management in ALCASA to facilitate their study and understanding and to contribute to the debates that currently exist in the country about the role of workers in corporate governance, the role of unions in our time and, in general, issues related to the role of workers in the construction of what has been called XXI Century Socialism in Venezuela.

Keywords: Codetermination; Trade Union; Social Economy; Venezuela

Since the last global financial crisis, private equity activities have increased again in Germany. This article provides an overview of developments between 2012 and 2018 from an employee perspective. It shows the volume and sectoral focus of company takeovers, the new owners after the exit of financial investors, and the proportion of companies in which parity co-determination is practiced. It also examines the most active private equity firms, their funds, their returns and their use of tax havens.

The decentralization of collective bargaining raises important issues, especially in the Nordic countries, where collective bargaining is centralized at industry level. These countries also have a ‘single channel’ of representation through trade union structures at both national and workplace levels, in contrast to much of Europe where there is a formal separation between works councils (as bodies for consultation and codetermination) and trade unions (as bodies for collective bargaining). This article reports research findings from Finland, where strong union branches have better capabilities in conducting the simultaneous tasks. If unions cannot actively develop the agenda for local bargaining, further experimentation in joint consultation can be expected, and this will provide a real test for the authority of local unions. The findings have broader implications for Nordic industrial relations.

Este articulo tiene como proposito hacer un recuento de algunos aspectos historicos y conceptuales del proceso de cogestion en ALCASA para facilitar su estudio y comprension, asi como para contribuir a los debates que en este momento se dan en el pais en torno al papel de los trabajadores en la gestion de las empresas, el papel de los sindicatos en nuestro tiempo y, en general, los temas relacionados con el protagonismo de los trabajadores en la construccion de lo que ha sido denominado como Socialismo del Siglo XXI en Venezuela. Palabras clave: Cogestion; Sindicatos; Economia Social; Venezuela The revolutionary co-management in CVG-ALCASA as part of the new develoment model ABSTRACT This article aims to recount some historical and conceptual aspects of the process of co-management in ALCASA to facilitate their study and understanding and to contribute to the debates that currently exist in the country about the role of workers in corporate governance, the role of unions in our time...

Fenomeno caratterizzato da una nuova centralità, la partecipazione dei lavoratori sollecita una difficile sfida: far sì che la straordinaria “generatività” che la caratterizza dia avvio a progetti ed esperienze volti alla costruzione di una cultura partecipativa autentica, quale reale leva di sviluppo strategico per l’impresa e, soprattutto, per le persone.
Il contributo pone di fronte ai possibili sviluppi della partecipazione dei lavoratori nei contesti mutevoli proposti da ETUI con il progetto “Scenario-Building: Worker Participation 2030” e sottolinea il ruolo imprescindibile della Formazione di tutti gli attori per dar vita a un sistema di relazioni di lavoro stabile e resistente ai fattori esogeni ed endogeni generatori di incertezza.

Although codetermination may be considered a worthy tool for increasing stakeholder interest, does it represent a more socially defined regime by distributing collective justice in the form of income equalities? Can such be assumed as exhibiting a democratic capitalism ideology? I shall analyse certain treaty provisions, directives and case law that have attempted to determine the viability of this elusive corporate governance tactic.

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht empirisch-analytisch die Entstehung und die ökonomischen Auswirkungen der Unternehmensmitbestimmung. Zunächst wird auf Basis der gängigen Staatstätigkeitstheorien untersucht, warum und in welchem Ausmaß in EU- und OECD-Staaten Aufsichtsratsmitbestimmung eingeführt wurde. Danach wird der Einfluss der Stärke der Unternehmensmitbestimmung auf die ökonomische Performanz deutscher DAX- und MDAX-Unternehmen sowie auf Arbeitslosigkeit, Beschäftigung, Wirtschaftswachstum und Einkommensverteilung im EU- und OECD-Staatenvergleich analysiert.