Between Harmony and Conflict: Industrial Democracy in the Netherlands

Abstract

Important changes are taking place in the in dustrial relations system of the Netherlands, and it is not clear yet whether the long established pattern of stable and peaceful relations can be preserved. The Catholic and socialist labor federations have merged into a single organiza tion whose left wing is rethinking the issue of industrial democracy. The relatively new legislation of the early 1970s, which enlarged the rights of works councils and opened corporate board membership to representatives of employee interests, was still based on ideas generated in the 1960s. But the new structures which resulted from this legisla tion are already considered insufficient by some sections of the trade unions, although they command the support of the separate Protestant labor federation and of the expanding unions of white-collar employees. The two principal view points are based on different models or concepts of industrial relations, with the older one relying on an essentially coopera tive relationship while the new groups tend to think in terms of permanent conflict or adversary relations. Histori cally, the Netherlands has had an integrative industrial rela tions system. It remains to be seen how strong this tradition remains.