[IslaDeEncanta]

Germany has strong unions and a corporate structure known as codetermination in all large businesses that helps balance the power between capital and labor. Those two qualities, along with a monetary union that they dominate are the causes of their prosperity, not some phony value difference.

[alexasmyths]

The fact that Unions sit on boards is a function of their cultural values.

I'm not saying it's good or bad, rather, it's not just some policy, but a reflection of cultures.

[andreasklinger]

There are stories about German companies (eg Aldi) who even had to push their US workers to even form unions.

[cfmcdonald]

Aren't the differences you cite are precisely explainable as the outcome of a more communitarian and less individualistic value system?