English > Research programme > Research area 4
New forms of ownership, co-operation and regulation
Research area 4
It is in the sphere of the daily co-operation between workers and employers that the value of the various forms of regulation is truly tested. New forms of management and ways of organising work (e.g. because of foreign ownership) constantly challenge the limits of existing forms of co-operation, and pose challenges further up the system in terms of collective-bargaining agreements and legislation. Conversely, collective-bargaining agreements, national legislation and EU directives also have an impact on the companies - serving as opportunities and challenges as well as restrictions.
At the international level, it will be particularly relevant to include EU regulation in the research (e.g. the European Works' Council Directive and the Directive establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Union), as well as the voluntary agreements on stress, bullying and harassment which also play a role in the regulation of the working environment. Danish sources such as the Cooperation Agreement between the Confederation of Danish Employers and the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions will be central to the research, and also the regulations included in the collective bargaining agreements (such as those that in the year of 2007 improved the financial circumstances of the union representatives in the industry) play a significant role for the co-operation between the parties at the companies. At company level, the research will revolve around the works' councils and their interaction with other forums; the role of the union representatives and the safety reps; and how working-environment regulation interacts with other forms of regulation.
Research Area 4 is divided into three project themes. See the individual projects within each of these project themes:
Cross-disciplinary project:
