Participation or alienation

Worker participation is currently attracting a great deal of attention. Books, articles and conferences centre round the subject and we are constantly hearing about worker directors, two‐tier boards and other means by which it might be brought into effect. But when the man on the assembly line is told that his union has appointed a representative on the board, will this guarantee that he feels he is participating effectively in the operations of the company in which he works? Opinions differ on this and related questions so it might be worthwhile to stand aside for a moment and consider what participation really depends on. Fundamentally it is an attitude of mind and this cannot always be linked with methods of representation.