Legal Protection against Breaches of Duty on the Part of the German Works Council — A Fata Morgana?

The German works councils enjoy far-reaching powers and can exert tremendous influence, which creates an indisputable danger of abuse of power. However, the employees and employer are scarcely protected from any breaches of duty it may commit. The legal protection provided in the industrial governance regulations is still insufficiently developed. On the other hand, the powers of the unions in the United States of America have long since been limited by the duty of fair representation. In a state governed by the rule of law, it must be possible to hold anyone exercising power accountable. Proceeding from this principle, the author develops and proposes a comprehensive system of legal protection on a civil law basis. Today, in light of the reform of the Works Constitution Act which was agreed upon in the German federal governments coalition agreement, this work is of great topical immediacy and represents an important contribution to questions of legal policy.