LABOUR ISSUES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

1. LABOUR ISSUES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION The European Social Model? Roger.blanpain@cer-leuven.be

2. EUROPEat the beginning of the XXIst Century • ENLARGED EUROPE: 27 STATES = = 485,000,000 • people: 7% of the world population • 1/3 of world GDP • EU (25) • 62.9 % employment rate (15 – 64 years of age) • 2010: 70 % target • 55+ : 40. 2 % • Fixed term: 13 % • Part time: 17 % • 55 million poor – 5 million=homeless • Demographic implosion (2007)

3. GLOBALISATION • Technology + market economy • Free to invest and disinvest – share holder’s value • Power relations vs. State and Social Partners have changed • Fair ? Only 35 countries are in, China and India included – 140 countries are out (Africa, LA…)

4. CONSEQUENCES • Economic --Tertiarisation: service jobs (70%) • Creative jobs in the lift • Outsourcing and networking • Restructuring – delocalisation • Social • Dualism (in and out); Social Exclusion • Reward of capital and of wagearners • Representativity of TU • Migration (legal and illegal) – diversity – religion - fundamentalism

5. CONSEQUENCES • Societal: Dramatic and ongoing changes • War and terrorism • Powerless and unsafe • Rejection • Anti-globalism • Most Trade Unions are heading towards the past • Xenophobic : No • European Constitution • Diversification • Free movement of services • Free movent Central – Eastern Europe • Turkey

6. EVOLUTION OF EMPLOYMENTIndustry and services

7. COMPARATIVISM • Employee relations remain national • Diversity is the rule and there to stay • Culture • Unionisation – trade union structure • Employers’ organisations • Collective bargaining – incomes policies • Words and gestures • Convergence of costs vs. divergence of content • No political will to confer more competences to Europe

8. Trade union density, Europe, Japan and USA

9. Collective bargaining coverage, Europe, Japan and USA

10. European social model? • Majority voting: 2/3 of States; 62% population • working conditions • information - consultation • health and safety • Unanimity: • job security - social security - taxes • workers participation • collective bargaining • Excluded: • remuneration- • trade union freedom • strikes and lock-outs • Systems remain national: race to the bottom?

11. EUROPEAN SOCIAL MODEL? • Is there a European model when the EU lacks core social competences: • Social security • Job security • Collective bargaining – workers participation • Remuneration • Trade union freedom • Strikes and lock-outs?

12. THEEUROPEANUNION

13. EUROPE: A KNOWLEDGE DRIVEN ECONOMY The Union has set itself a new strategic goal for the next decade: to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world. Businesses and citizens must have access to an inexpensive, world-class communications infrastructure and a wide range of services. Every citizen must be equipped with the skills needed to live and work in this new information society.

14. WEB SITES: EU • European Commission • http://europa.eu.int/comm/index_en.htm • Directorate‑ General competent for employment and social policy: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dg05/index_en.htm • European Parliament • website: http://europarl.eu.int/ • European Council • website: http://ue.eu.int/en/info/eurocouncil/

15. EU WEB SITES • European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions • website: http://www.eurofound.ie/ European Social Partners • ETUC (European Trade Union Confederation) • website: http://www.etuc.org/ • UNICE (Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe) website: http://www.unice.org/unice/

16. SOCIAL POLICIES BEYOND AMSTERDAM • OBJECTIVES • A HIGH LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT • A HIGH LEVEL OF SOCIAL PROTECTION • EQUAL TREATMENT • IMPROVED LIVING CONDITIONS • IMPROVED WORKING CONDITIONS • PROPER SOCIAL PROTECTION • SOCIAL DIALOGUE • UPWARDS HARMONISATION • COMBATTING OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION

17. ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE • Free movement of workers (art. 39) • Individual employment contracts (1991) • Protection of young people at work (1994) • Equal treatment (art. 141 and directives) • Motherhood (1992) • Working time (1993) • Safety and health (Art. 137 and directives) • Collective redundancies (1975-1992-1998) • Transfer of undertakings (1977-1998-2001)

18. ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE • Insolvency of the employer (1980) • European Works Councils (1994) • Parental leave (1996) • Posting of workers (1996) • Part-time (1997) • Reversal of proof in case of discrimination (1997) • Agreement on fixed term contracts (1999) • Equal treatment (racial-ethnic origin) (2000) • Equal treatment (general framework) (2000) • European Company Statute (2001) • Information and consultation (2002) • Voluntary agreement on telework (2002) • Voluntary agreement on related work stress (2004)

19. EU Employment guidelines • Method of open coordination • Guidelines • National plans – evaluation • Guidelines • Employability = flexsecurity • Entrepeneurship • Adaptability • Equal opportunities

20. SECURITY • Active employment policies • Competences and skills • Job- vs. employment security • Danish model • Terms of notice • Compensation • Training • Job offer

21. SOCIAL DIALOGUE • A lot of contact – alsmost no contract • Agreements + directive • Parental leave (1996) • Part time (1997) • Fixed term contracts (1999) • Some sectoral agreements • Voluntary agreements • Telework (2002) • Stress related work (2004)

22. THE HUNGRY SPIRIT • We cannot build our future by prolonging the past (Charles Handy) • “Someone, who thinks purely economically is a social idiot “(Prof. Amartya Sen, Harvard, Nobel Prize Economy)