eubuilders

1. Co-financed by DG Employment and Social Affairs - European Commission European Project “Under Construction” Twinning seminar FMB / FOI 7th April 2008 Federation of Master Builders Gordon Fisher House 14/15 Great James Street, London www.eubuilders.org

2. CONTENTS • The European Builders Confederation EBC • The seminar • The Maltese side • The UK side • Seminar evaluation

3. WHO WE ARE The E.B.C. (European Builders Confederation) The Voice of Construction Craft and SMEs in Europe EBC was established in 1990 Now: 16 members in 11 EU countries In total EBC represents 600.000 Craftsmen and SMEs from the construction sector employing 2.500.000 workers 20-25 members of the Board of Directors 100 delegates to the General Assembly 3 permanent members of staff in Brussels’ based Secretariat

4. WHAT WE DO • EU legislation • Monitoring • Lobbying • 2. EU standardisation • Influencing Technical Committees of the CEN • Cooperating with NORMAPME • 3. EU projects funded by the Commission • Implementation of European Policies • Exchange of best practices

5. HOW WE WORK • EBC’s internal structure • EBC’s external cooperation: • Other EU associations: UEAPME / NORMAPME • Social Partners: FIEC / EFBWW • EBC has obtained two observer seats • EBC’s communication: • Internal circulars • The EBC Publications: • - A newsletter (every 2 months) in 4 languages (Fr, En, Es, It) • - An annual report in 2 or 3 languages (Fr, En, + 1) • - Press releases (Fr, En) • - Position papers (Fr, En)

6. THE SEMINAR / 1 25th January 2008 – Malta 12 participants Ray MUSCAT, Director General - Presentation of FOI’s structure and work Angelo XUEREB, President FOBC - Presentation on Federation of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors Tonio FARRUGIA - Presentation on Malta Social Dialogue David CROFT, EBC President - Presentation on FMB’s structure Brian BERRY, Director of External Affairs - Presentation on FMB’s participation to the sectoral social dialogue

7. THE SEMINAR / 2 Malta Federation Of Industry FOI Founded in 1946 - 275 affiliated member firms -some 25,000 employees 14% of members are from the Construction sector Federation of Building & Civil Engineering Contractors FOBC Set up in 2000 - 11 member firms (major building contractors) FOBC affiliated to FOI since 2004 Anglo-Saxon model of industrial relations Several similarities: Wage negotiation Voluntary bipartite agreements Consultative role with the Government

8. THE MALTESE SIDE / 1 • Industrial relations system is based on the British model: • Voluntary bi-partite collective bargaining at enterprise level • Polarised adversarial relationship between employers and trade unions • Almost total absence of sectoral level bargaining • 33 registered trade unions 86,000 members • 23 employers associations 9,000 members • 5 main employers’ organisations: • Chamber of Commerce & Enterprise (COCE) • Chamber of Small & Medium Size Enterprises (GRTU) • Federation of Malta Industry (FOI) • Malta Employers Association (MEA) • Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association (MHRA)

9. THE MALTESE SIDE / 2 The FOI takes part in the National Social Dialogue through: 1. The Malta Council for Economic & Social Development 2. The Employment Relations Board The Social Dialogue issues are the following: - National competitiveness - Social pact - Wage indexation - Low female participation rate - Working Time Directive Important point in the near future: Possible merger with the Maltese Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise COCE

10. THE UK SIDE / 1 • Federation of Master Builders (FMB) - founded in 1941 • 13,000 members - the largest employers' body in UK’s construction sector • FMB’s main services to members: • - Help-lines (for health & safety; taxation; legal matters) • Training workshops • Access to warranty scheme and insurance services • Access to quality marks • Very peculiar and interesting for the FOI • www.findabuilder.co.uk – website service to find the best and closest builder • Information: • MasterBuilder magazine • E-mail news bulletins

11. THE UK SIDE / 2 • NO sectoral social dialogue committee in the UK. • Building & Allied Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) – created by FMB and trade union • It sets wage rates on annual basis Voluntary process - no government intervention • Company CAN apply or not the wage agreements • Skills and Training high on the social agenda of the FMB • Best solution is APPRENTICESHIP • BUT 4% of the 185,000 construction companies employ an apprentice • Several problems prevent companies from employing apprentices: • No insurance for under 18s on sites: • Stigma of vocational training • Costs of training - £12,000 pa and only £2,250 max grant • ‘Lose the boy’ – employers lose their younger workers, after training them • Cross Industry Construction Apprenticeships Task Force: 10,000 apprentices more • Action supported by UK Government and ConstructionSkills

12. SEMINAR EVALUATION • Capacity Building: • First occasion for fruitful exchange of best practices on services provided to builders • FOBC: first and only sectoral association in the construction sector in Malta • Created in 2000 but seems to be active since it joined the FOI in 2004 • Several issues and problems concerning the construction sector were discussed: • 1. Health and safety • 2. Vocational training • 3. Registration of enterprises • 4. Lack of skilled labour • 5. Construction and demolition waste • Social dialogue: • Well chosen partnership: historical links and similarities • Sectoral collective agreements are very rare and concern mainly port industry • No specific agreement for the construction sector has been concluded until now

13. Thank you for your attention ! www.eubuilders.org Riccardo VIAGGI Project Manager riccardo.viaggi@eubuilders.org