Brexit’s impact on transnational employee representation. Regulatory changes and contested futures of European Works Councils

European Journal of Industrial Relations 2026 Open access

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Authors: Patrick Witzak, Markus Hertwig, Anna Frisone, Marco Hauptmeier, Marcus Kahmann, Louis G. T. Lines
DOI: 10.1177/09596801261425584
Cited by: 1
References: 32

Abstract

This study examines how Brexit reshaped the institutional foundations of European Works Councils (EWCs). Using historical institutionalism, the analysis conceptualises Brexit as a critical juncture that revealed and accelerated existing institutional dynamics. Drawing on 64 company cases, including 16 in-depth studies, it identifies five developmental outcomes – stability, limitation, exclusion, extinction and innovation/expansion. Most EWCs maintained stability through negotiated adaptation, while others experienced limitations, exclusion or innovation. Outcomes were mainly influenced by management strategies and orientations, national employment relations systems and transnational employee coordination. The findings show how macro-level institutional disruptions translate into negotiated meso-level institutional recomposition.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Labor Movements and Unions Social Policy and Reform Studies International Labor and Employment Law

Publication details

Journal / source
European Journal of Industrial Relations
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Volume
32
Issue
2
Pages
137–157
Publication date
25 February 2026
Language
EN