How do multinational corporations impact employee relationships? This research furthers work on the impact of multinational corporations (MNCs) on employee relations, particularly in the UK. Furthers this research with an empirical study of the employee relations practices of three groups of MNCs (US, Japanese and German) in one UK region, Wales. This analysis is set within the context of rapid industrial, economic and social restructuring in Wales, including the demise of traditional industrial sectors and the growth of foreign ownership. Rapid change affects how employees and MNCs work together. This could create new issues for workers. The text concludes that MNCs have made a significant impact on the creation of a new industrial relations climate, but that there are differences in the practices of the three groups. The different practices of the groups means that local effects in the UK could vary depending on the policies being put in place by each group.
Published in Employee Relations, this research aligns with the journal’s focus on labor relations and human resource management. This empirical study of MNCs’ impact on employee relations practices in the UK directly relates to the journal's core themes.