TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Jirjahn, Uwe
AU  - Mohrenweiser, Jens
AU  - Smith, Stephen C.
        TI  - Opening the Black Box of Works Council Elections: Theory and Evidence on the Factors Influencing Voter Turnout
        PY  - 2026/Aug/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 18894
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp18894
        AB  - Works councils have been often thought to contribute to workplace democracy. However, workplace democracy not only requires that works councils have the power to influence management decisions but also that this institution of establishment-level codetermination itself is based on democratic principles and processes. The most basic procedure of workplace democracy is the participation of workers in works council elections. Against this background, our study provides a theoretical and empirical analysis of the factors that are associated with voter turnout in the elections. The study shows that the election procedure, establishment size, atypical employment, learning, type of establishment owner, economic circumstance, and union support have an influence on the turnout rate. We also find evidence that the role of a series of determinants of voter turnout depends on whether or not an establishment is covered by industry-level collective bargaining.
        KW  - works council elections
KW  - voting
KW  - election procedure
KW  - collective bargaining
KW  - establishment size
KW  - atypical employment
KW  - learning
KW  - ownership
KW  - economic situation
        ER  -