Employee rights in Germany and the UK

In spite of EU membership and specific regulations of the European Commission that are obligatory for the member states, European social policy is still very diverse. Using a comparison of employee rights in Germany and in the United Kingdom, Matthew Allen, Birmingham University and currently visiting scholar at CES, presents the specific features of employee rights in Germany. The two countries are at opposite poles - within Europe - with regard to industrial relationships. The national differences are particularly striking in terms of laws governing works councils, the collective bargaining process and strike laws. These differences will presumably endure despite the increasing economic integration of the European countries.