Sectoral social dialogue in Hungary

1. Sectoral social dialogue in Hungary Tamás Székely

2. Background • 1989 NCC • 1992 VDSZ CA with multiple employers • level of collective bargaining- the workplace • sectoral CA: • catering industry • baking industry • electricity workers • representation of the economic interest of employers’ organisations • low organisation rate of employers • employers’ organisations established under the pressure of trade unions

3. The history of SSDC • 2001a Phare programme project • 2003- establishemnt of sectoral social dialogue committees in Hungary • 2009: parliamentary decision on „sectoral social dialogue committees and certain issues of social dialogue at the mezzo level ( Act LXXIV.)

4. The institutional system of social dialogue • autonomous social dialogue • dialogue committees at the sectoral, sub-sectoral and branch level • Task: • promote the development of the sector, • develop appropriate working conditions, • promote labour market processes. • wrong grouping ( TEAOR )

5. Sectoral social dialogue committees • forums at the mezzo level • mediate the problems with national scope to the macro level • the achievements of the sectoral level can be introduced at the company level through the collective agreements

6. The activities of sectoral social dialogue committees • situation and development of the sector • economic and labour processes • consultation and mutual information • declarations on the proposals and positions of the SSDC

7. The activities of sectoral social dialogue committees • collective negotiations at the sectoral level • prepare studies, analyses • organise conferences, seminars and training courses • organise study tours on specific issues • international contacts

8. Sectoral social dialogue committees • participate in the work of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees • consult with the government and its organisations to include the approach and the interest of the actors at sectoral level in the national concepts, plans and programmes • close contacts to the responsible ministries. A nominated expert of the ministries assess the documents prepared by the sectoral partners.

9. The Council of sectoral social dialogue committees • trilateral body • comprises of the leaders of the tables of the SSDC • general operating conditions • steering committee, economic committee • consultation, positions, recommendations, decisions

10. Committee on Sectoral participation Examines • the legality of the establishment or termination of the SSDC • the sectoral representativity • sectoral expansion of CAs • 35 SSDC-s were established before January 2010

11. SSDCs of member organisations of EMCEF • Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Mining Industry • Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Chemical Industry • Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Gas Industry • Sub- Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Pharmaceutic Industry • Sub- Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Electric Energy Industry • Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Construction Industry

12. Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Mining Industry • 1992: signature of the first wage agreement • the pharmaceutical industry has a sectoral agreement since 1993 • 28. November 2003: signature of the agreement on the establishment of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Chemical Industry

13. Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Chemical Industry Participants: employees side • Hungarian Trade Union Federation of Workers in the Chemical, Energy and Allied Industries, • Sectoral Federation of Chemical Unions, • MOL Chemical Workers Union • Trade Union Federation of the Pharmaceutical Industry • Trade Union Federation of the Rubber Industry • Trade Union Federation of the Aluminium Industry and the employers side • Hungarian Chemical Federation • National Federation of Hungarian Pharmaceutical Producers • Hungarian Rubber Industry Federation • HUNGAMOSZ National Federation of Hungarian aluminium Industry Producers

14. Activities of the Chemical Sectoral Dialogue Committee • increase the acceptance and the acknowledgement of role of the chemical sector/branch in the national economy • develop and mediate a positive image, • regulations on the sector and the world of labour, • employment, wage and income policies, • training, education

15. Activities of the Chemical sectoral Dialogue Committee • labour safety, • join the work of sectoral committees in the EU, • environment, • occupational safety and health,

16. Activities of the Chemical sectoral Dialogue Committee Studies • problems of temporary work. Possibilities of preventing misuse • Based on the proposal of the social partners the Parliament increased the responsibility of agencies and the protection of temporary workers. • Which way forward? The future of the Hungarian chemical industry. problems and possibilities of developing vocational and adult training in the chemical industry. • Information to amend the system supporting job seekers and promoting employment in the Act on Employment • Study on „Employment problems in the chemical industry and its sub-sectors and the labour market prospects”

17. Activities of the Chemical sectoral Dialogue Committee Studies: • system of social dialogue at the company level in the sub-sectors of the Chemical sectoral social dialogue committee (sectoral collective agreements, wage agreements). • collective agreements in the EU, • the impact of environmental investments on the Hungarian chemical industry. • the Hungarian chemical industry and REACH. • the future of the Hungarian chemical industry and its perspectives for the following 10 years. • health in the chemical industry • labour safety in the area of the Chemical sectoral social dialogue committee

18. Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Gas Industry Members: • employees side: Trade Union Federation of the Gas Industry Hungarian Trade Union Federation of Workers in the Chemical, Energy and Allied Industries • employers side: Hungarian Gas Industry Federation

19. Sub-Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Gas Industry Main tasks • vocational training and junior development in the gas industry: • use of the vocational training fund, • support to secondary and tertiary vocational training institutes, • planning the training, personalised training plans • practical training, improve the quality of training, • introduction of distant learning (e-learning) • communication and negotiating skills Gas industry conference: Themes: • energy policy, problems of energy and the situation of the gas industry. • the impact of economic changes on occupational safety and health and labour safety Studies • Szilvia Borbély : The situation of the gas industry in Hungary after 2006 - March 2009,

20. Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Mining Industry Members: • employees side : Trade Union Federation of Mining and Energy Workers MOL Miners’ Trade union • employers side: Hungarian Mining Federation

21. Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Mining Industry Activities: • develop an energy policy concept decisive for the future • current issues of the energy industry • discussion of government and ministerial decrees on mining, Conferences: • possibilities of using renewable and non-renewable natural resources for energy with special focus on the environment and the climate change (2006)‏ • current issues of the national energy policy, ( domestic mining, the structure of the industry, profit generating capabilities, employment) (2006)‏ • „Step by step” The role of social partners in the long-term European energy policy: international round table conference on labour contacts in the mining and the energy sectors in an enlarged Europe” (2009)‏

22. Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Mining Industry Most important events 2009 : • the security of energy and row-material supply and the promotion of the access to national mineral resources • mining industry aid system • health and safety • the impact of CO2 trading on the extraction industry • the impact of the economic crises on employment in the extracting industry • vocational training, the regulation of qualification, wages Studies • „The efficient development and use of natural resources and minerals and theenergy and environment management”

23. Conclusions • legal frames and forms are given, • different solutions in the sectors, • strong social partners (mining and chemical industries), • joint action, strong lobbying, • joint studies, • observers in decision making bodies, • participation in the preparation of legislation, • sectoral agreement in the chemical industry (2003), • the role of the SSDC of the mining industry in updating the mining act,

24. General problems • Lack of information of employees • shrinking content of CA: • the re-employment of redundant workers within the sector was taken out of the sectoral CA (baking industry, electric energy industry)‏ • new elements, e.g. tele-work, temporary work not included in the new CA • measures promoting life-long-learning are missing • guarantees for equal opportunities for men and women are missing • measures on reconciling family and working life are missing • labour safety rules against stress are missing • and the promotion of the employment of workers with decresed working capabilities is missing

25. Positive examples from the organisation area of VDSZ • training of functionaries • special training for young people and women • act against discrimination at the workplaces • life-long-learning • discrimination at the workplaces • reconciling family and work • own website, trade union publications

26. Challenges • the crisis • factory closures • outsourcing • redundancies • new employers

27. Good examples of sectoral social dialogue in Hungary • positive changes in the Labour Code • strong social partners, see mining industry, catering industry • social partners can influence legislation; mining industry, chemical industry, catering, electric energy industry • social partners prepare joint studies to resolve the special problems of the sector; mining industry, chemical industry, catering • equal opportunities, training, vocational training included in the CA; chemical industry • sectoral unions are involved in the preparation of legislation

28. Thank you for your attention