works council

American  

noun

Chiefly British.

1. an elected body of employee representatives that deals with management regarding grievances, working conditions, wages, etc.

2. a joint council or committee representing employer and employees that discusses working conditions, wages, etc., within a plant or business.

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works council British  

noun

1. a council composed of both employer and employees convened to discuss matters of common interest concerning a factory, plant, business policy, etc, not covered by regular trade union agreements

2. a body representing the workers of a plant, factory, etc, elected to negotiate with the management about working conditions, wages, etc

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Etymology

Origin of works council

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

works council

Among employees, the ownership tangle is causing "real uncertainty", said Danny Ruthenberg, chairman of the works council.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

It employs many of Wolfsburg’s roughly 130,000 residents on terms negotiated by the works council, including service functions such as kitchen staff that have long been outsourced at other companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

The plan had taken about six weeks to negotiate between the board and BMW's works council, the source added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Nationwide protests by shop stewards and works council members across the Volkswagen Group took place Thursday against reported plant closures and job cuts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Advisory committees are also appointed to deal with special subjects, e.g. the commissions de classement which attend to questions of promotion in the various branches of the navy, the naval works council and others.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 7 "Fox, George" to "France" by Various