Information technology, new organizational concepts and employee participation-will unionism survive?

Information technology changes business processes at all levels. The increasing standardization of the processing, distribution, storage and reproduction of high volumes of information enables previously separated tasks (within the firm) to be reintegrated. Supporting information systems designed to reduce process time are introduced in all functional divisions. Insofar as these changes are accompanied by similar changes in work organization and human resource management they influence labor relations. New organizational concepts (NOC) have been developed to reduce the number of hierarchical layers and to introduce more numerical and qualitative flexibility for the labor force employed. New forms of work alter the conditions of work and employment, especially the wage bargaining process, working time, occupational profiles and skill levels. The reality which emerges in today´s labor relations is complex and characterized by the direct participation of core workforces in managerial human resource concepts, flexibilization for the marginal workforce and diversifying policy options for trade unions.