Employee representation structures
On November 13, all organizations and businesses employing 15 workers or more will have to hold elections to choose the employee representation bodies for the next 5 years. All employees – resident and cross-border workers alike – who don’t have a civil servant status have the right to vote in these elections. The vote follows proportional representation rules from lists presented by the trade unions deemed the most representative at national level (see below), or by employees in the undertaking if they account for at least 5 percent of the total workforce. Thus, most employee representatives are union members.
What does employee representation structure mean?
The employee representation structure is the center of employee representation in the workplace. The number of representatives is proportional to the number of employees in the undertaking: 1 for businesses with 15-25 employees, 2 between 26 and 50, and so on. The structure meets at least 6 times a year and can meet once a month during working hours. It meets with the employer 3 times a year.
The structure’s primary mission is to maintain and defend employees’ interests.