Shop stewards from MD Foods' British subsidiary, MD Foods plc, are to meet colleagues from MD Foods in Denmark to discuss the setting up of a cross-border, European works council. The conference, which will take place in Århus, will also be attended by management representatives from the two companies as well as representatives from British and Danish unions.

As an international group, MD Foods has to comply with EU regulations which require the setting up of works councils in companies with operations in other EU countries. With a workforce of 2,300, MD Foods plc is MD Foods' largest operation outside Denmark. It was therefore natural to begin negotiations on the new organisation with staff representatives from the UK subsidiary. In the longer-term, MD employees in other EU countries are likely to be involved in the new organisation.

In Denmark, MD Foods has run a works council involving representatives from staff and management over the past 24 years.