Codetermination and Control

Abstract

What role do job control issues play in the West German system of industrial relations? We shall argue in this chapter that they play very little; that the central channel for workers’ influence on plant conditions — the institutions of codetermination — and the basic character of the West German trade union policies contain within themselves a major limitation on the operation of job control issues. We do not use the concept of job control in a narrow sense only as access to the job, or to related issues of security, but include any control over the content and operation of the work process. Hence job control refers to all devices of labour union influence on the existence of, access to and performance of operations at particular workplaces industry.² Further, the concept is used in a relative sense to signify the degree of power workpeople have to influence cr direct work.³

We acknowledge the assistance and advice of Sigi Roth who is engaged in education with I. G. Metal.