Social Dialogue

1. Social Dialogue Where are we now?  electricity  gas  hospitals  local and regional government national and European administration  waste  water  social services Progress, priorities and problems EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

2. Social Dialogue Electricity • Dialogue since 1995 with formal committee established in 2000 • Initial focus on health and safety and training – more recently: telework, lifelong learning, equality and diversity, future of skill needs, enlargement, stress and corporate social responsibility, social dialogue in South East Europe • A major issue has been the impact of liberalisation on employment - committee convinced European Commission to undertake a detailed study of employment and the impact of restructuring (ECOTEC 2007). Joint position adopted. • Current issues include: corporate social responsibility, demographic change and skills, restructuring, social aspects of Energy Community South East Europe; 3rd liberalisation package. Follow up on stress agreement foreseen. Endorsement of the intersectoral agreement on violence at work proposed • No agreement achieved on emissions trading or security of supply • Discussion in the Standing Committee on Follow up and Implementation of joint statements EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

3. Social Dialogue Gas • Dialogue since 1998 with formal committee established in 2007 • Initial focus on health and safety and training • A major issue has been the impact of liberalisation on employment – first statement adopted on the detailed Commission study of employment and the impact of restructuring (ECOTEC 2007). • Joint statement adopted on endorsing the inter-sectoral agreement on violence at work and implementation process • Current issues include: demographic change and skills, social aspects of Energy Community South East Europe; third liberalisation package • Issue of concern is low participation employers’ side. EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

4. Social Dialogue Local and regional government Work programme 2006-2007: • Exchange of views on demographic change and human resources management • Joint statement on social dialogue • Joint statement on Green Paper on Labour Law – link with “flexicurity” debate • Project on restructuring of local services (in-house, outsourcing/insourcing, PPPs, inter-municipal cooperation), social dialogue and impact on employment • Guidelines on gender equality plans • First discussions on third party violence at work EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

5. Social Dialogue National and European Administration • Dialogue since 1991 but formal committee still not established • Trade union representation issue resolved in 2005 via creation of TUNED • June 2007, EU ministers for public administration endorse action plan for testing formal social dialogue in 2008-2009 : • Rules of procedure • Work programme • Evaluation under French and Swedish EU presidencies • Next steps: Adoption of the above by the EU directors General for public administration on 10-11 December 2007 & implementation of the work programme: • Joint position to Commission’s initiatives impacting national administration e.g revised Lisbon strategy on growth, employment and better regulation • demographic challenges: Joint analysis focusing on recruitment/retention, training, HRM and equality/diversity objectives • Building trust in government : EU-funded social dialogue project and collection of good practices on improving national administrations • Third party violence at work: participation as observers in multisectoral negotiations EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

6. Social Dialogue Hospitals • informal social dialogue in the sector since the late 1990s with formal committee established in September 2006 • Issues on the work programme include retention of workforce, cross-border recruitment of health care workers, new skill needs. • In addition EPSU and HOSPEEM work on a project to strengthen social dialogue in the hospital sector in the EU, with a specific focus on the new EU member states. • On the agenda are also: the EC plans for health services. • EPSU and HOSPEEM negotiated a Health services declaration confirming the principles for health care in Europe EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

7. Social Dialogue Other sectors No concrete progress has been made in other sectors – priority is different and lack of resources. EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

8. Social Dialogue Other sectors Gas – with changes at top of Eurogas progress can be made and process of establishing formal committee is underway Waste – discussions with employers’ organisation, FEAD, foreseen for 2006 – agreed as priority in at EPSU Congress Water – focus of activity has been very much on anti-privatisation Social services – agreed as priority at EPSU Congress – EPSU developing its voice in the sector Sheltered workplaces – approached by employers in sector but not seen as priority by EPSU affiliates EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

9. Social Dialogue The Commission’s view “As a driving force for modernisation of the European economy and the European social model, the social dialogue holds a crucial, unique position in the democratic governance of Europe.” “It is a vehicle for core values of participation and responsibility…” “…provides a suitable framework for managed modernisation.” EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

10. Social Dialogue The Commission’s view “The social dialogue is indeed a pioneering example of improved consultation and the application of subsidiarity in practice and is widely recognised as making an essential contribution to better governance, as a result of the proximity of the social partners to the realities of the workplace.” The social partners are different from other organisations “because of their ability to take part in collective bargaining.” EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

11. Social Dialogue Current climate • Liberalisation is top of Commission agenda • Nothing substantial in social agenda • No pressure on employers to agree positive work programme • So social dialogue is not about “better governance” but more about “managing modernisation” EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

12. Social Dialogue What is the sectoral social dialogue all about? • Social aspects of sectoral policy • Sectoral aspects of social policy • Autonomous areas • Joint approach to Commission • Public services • Pushing a collective bargaining agenda Points 1-5 are what EPSU discusses with employers while point 6 is direction in which we want to push social dialogue EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

13. Social Dialogue …And what’s the objective? • Improve mutual understanding • Process of information and consultation • Capacity building • Joint actions • Agreements EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

14. Social Dialogue Progress made? Joint statements, declarations, studies on: • Equality and diversity • Health and safety • Employment • Modernisation • Restructuring As well as agreeing work programmes EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

15. Social Dialogue Coherence and co-ordination • Role of Congress – assessment of progress and strategic view of priorities for next five years • Role of executive committee – monitoring and endorsement • Role of standing committees – vital for input into social dialogue committees and feedback and action EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

16. Social Dialogue Challenges On employers’ side: • representation • participation • engagement • negotiating mandate • procedure • content EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

17. Social Dialogue Challenges On trade union side: • resources • representation • participation • engagement • mandate • the national level EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

18. Social Dialogue Social dialogue – working better • Establish new committees, improve working of existing ones • Push for more binding agreements – how can we pressurise employers to accept this? • Participation and engagement in social dialogue committees and standing committees • Better co-ordination with collective bargaining issues EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue

19. Social Dialogue Social dialogue – working better • Keep pressure on European Commission to keep pressure on employers in terms of participation and engagement • Build on dialogue at national level to feed into European level • Communications - improve flow of information to membership; establish clearer identity for sectoral social dialogue; better articulation in Executive Committee • Set clearer priorities for the social dialogue agenda EPSU Executive Committee 20 February 2006 Special Session on Social Dialogue