Works Council or staff representation

Under the Works Councils Act (Wet op de ondernemingsraden, WOR) every business in the Netherlands with 50 employees or more must have a Works Council (ondernemingsraad, OR). The employer must ensure that the Works Council is established.

Duties of the Works Council

A Works Council stands up for the interests of a company’s employees. The Council has a number of rights, such as:

• a right to be consulted on major decisions and measures;
• a right of consent in respect of certain proposed changes to the terms and conditions of employment.

The Works Council holds at least two meetings a year with the employer. The employer must ensure that the Works Council members are given the time and facilities required to carry out their activities for the Works Council.

Companies with 10 to 50 employees

Businesses with between 10 and 50 employees can voluntarily establish a Works Council or a staff representative body (personeersvertegenwoordiging, PVT). A Works Council or a staff representative body is obligatory if the majority of employees want one. The powers of a staff representative body are different from those of a Works Council.

Staff meeting

Businesses with between 10 and 50 employees that do not have a Works Council or a staff representative body are obliged to hold staff meetings (personeelsvergadering, PV). The employees have the right to be consulted on major financial and organisational decisions in a staff meeting. Businesses with less than 10 employees can voluntarily arrange staff meetings.