Workers' legal protection

The economic crisis brought to light a massive failure of corporate governance, not only in the banking sector but also in large companies. Strengthening the role of European Works Councils and workers’ representatives in company boardrooms could help prevent such disasters in future. However, loopholes in EU law enable companies to by-pass the workforce when taking important policy decisions. The ETUC demands tougher EU-wide legislation to protect workers and promote their interests, and binding sanctions against companies that break the rules or fail to consult workers’ representatives.