Unions have a board seat in larger SME's as well as much greater clarity on internal plans and finances.

Makes hard decisions easier since the union and employees can see why decisions are made.

Organized labor is treated as stakeholders in the enterprise vs a counter-party in the US.

If a certain amount of workers agree they can form a workers council which is a legally protected union within the company. And they have much stronger legal rights, seats on the board of directors, legal requirements to see certain documents, strong protection against being fired.

Lest you think this makes the country uncompetitive, Germany still makes cars, and the UK (which doesn't have this legal system) has vastly de-industrialised and doesn't make cars.