Implementing the Information and Consultation Directive in Great Britain: A New Voice at Work

The Information and Consultation Directive and its transposition in Great Britain through the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 will add a new facet to collective employment law in this country. This paper analyses the characteristics of the new voice given to employees and how it will fit with the existing legal framework. It aims to demonstrate that the government has adapted to the new Directive by undertaking a thorough process of preparation for the final regulatory norms. Nevertheless, the resulting ?voice? will not be revolutionary as it will not be based on a set of minimum requirements and will also lack strength to influence decision-making. The regulatory choices have given priority to flexibility at the expense of the universal right to information and consultation. This paper explores further the ideas expressed in an earlier article on the potential impact of the Information and Consultation Directive in the United Kingdom, published in this journal in 2003.