ABSTRACT
The fact that the European Metalworkers Federation (EMF) became involved in subsequent negotiations on the establishment of an European Works Council (EWC) can be explained by the coincidence that a former Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd (GKN) employee was working at the EMF. The EMF's aim was to conclude a pioneer EWC agreement in the UK engineering industry. The EWC agreement was finally signed by the EMF and group management in November 1995 and ratified at a constitutive meeting by the EWC members in March 1996. The body was dubbed the GKN European Forum. The agreement provides for one joint meeting with management annually. As a rule this is supposed to take place shortly after publication of the annual report and accounts. Group management was only willing to make small concessions during negotiations on the agreement. Communication between EWC members is essentially confined to the annual meetings.
