What does participation in a work council entail?

The Dutch works council has rights to promote and protect the interests of employees, such as:

• the right to prior consultation if decisions or measures are to be taken, which can majorly impact employees.
• the right of consent in the event of changes to the terms of employment (such as working times or employment conditions).
• the right of proposal: if the works council makes a proposal, the employer needs to discuss it with them at least once before taking a decision.