‘at its most basic level, every employment relationship is’ both an ‘economic exchange’ and a ‘power relationship’ between two parties, employers and employees. Because the exchange of labour power is different to any other commodity, the employment relationship is a continuous, open-ended authority relationship. The two sides are interdependent and display patterns of conflict and accommodation, ‘but the employer is in possession of greater power resources than the employee, creating an asymmetrical relationship between the parties’.
Blyton and Turnbull (2004, pp. 34, 13) Ackers (2005b)

Reflecting critically upon this statement discuss whether employees can work with their employers to seek to redress a balance of power and develop strategies for workplace cooperation. Justify your answer, drawing upon academic theory, empirical evidence and case studies.

A critical evaluation of the employee relations issues in participation and involvement within the UK and Germany.

You should identify and evaluate the ways in which the relevant actors*, that is, the state, employers and employees (including the trade unions) play a role in the employee relations issue that you have identified. It will also be appropriate and important to critically evaluate the way that these three sets of social actors impact on and influence the balance of power in the employee relations issue you have identified.

In addressing your chosen topic please note the following assessment criteria
1 Demonstration of critical understanding of Employee Relations issues

2 Analysis of the roles of the state, employers and employees (and their trade unions) with regard to your identified topic as appropriate

3 Analysis of the balance of power between the actors (employees & their trade unions, employers and the state) as relevant to your topic

4 Integration of theory and practice (include examples of organizational or government policy and practice where relevant)