There's no umbrella answer but overall it is rosier in every aspect. For example, EU has a mandatory thing called "employee representatives" (although created at employees' initiative, it cannot be blocked) and some EU countries mandate also union members into those. Obviously these constructs will create a lot of friction with US management style, but I'd say that's the very reason they were created.
It's definitely rosier in most aspects insofar as protection of employee rights is much better at a legislative / public level in Europe, and therefore there's more supports available.
These may however often be your company's HR dept. ticking boxes (HR departments of course by and large existing to protect the company from potential employee complaints first and foremost, rather than to protect employees). In the case of a US-based office where such state-mandated supports are absent, and the employees have put together a body to enable collective bargaining, the supports—while less official and state-supported—may be of more immediate material benefit as they practically address current grievances.
> some EU countries mandate also union members into those
Do you have a reference for this? I'm curious to know which do and which don't (it's certainly not anything that's been brought in at a Directive level).
In Spain is mandated while in Germany, the Netherlands or UK it's just customary, and for the rest it might be anything in between. Here's more about it, see respective "workplace representation" sections: https://www.worker-participation.eu/National-Industrial-Rela...
