European Works Councils as an Institution of Social Dialogue in Poland

The aim of the article is to characterize European works councils (EWCs) established in enterprises with a community scope. They belong to the institution of dialogue carried out within the framework of collective labor relations, being a manifestation of the constitutional principle of the social market economy. The author introduces the essence of these councils and the context of their appointment, indicates EU regulations and characterizes national legislation. A significant part of the study is devoted to the presentation of selected aspects of the functioning of councils based on his own empirical research conducted among Polish members who identified the strengths and weaknesses of these institutions, listed factors favoring their operation and reasons hindering creation based on knowledge and experience, giving rise to the identification of perspectives development of employee participation in changing socio-economic conditions.