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TRAIN Project Final Conference “Train and Rail Infrastructure Network”

TRAIN Project Final Conference “Train and Rail Infrastructure Network” 5 th and 6 th of November 2012 Previous meetings and drafted report With financial support of the EU. A few words on Consultingeuropa.

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TRAIN Project Final Conference “Train and Rail Infrastructure Network”

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  1. TRAIN Project Final Conference “Train and Rail Infrastructure Network” 5th and 6th of November 2012 Previous meetings and drafted report With financial support of the EU

  2. A few words on Consultingeuropa Consultingeuropa is a consulting company specialised on social dialogue at European Level, located in Brussels. Consultingeuropa focuses on advising European institutions, social partners, associations and European Works Councils in multinational companies. Consultingeuropa was born in early January 2011, from the alliance of two companies : · The German labour-orientated consultancy PCG- Project Consult GmbH, · The French consulting company Groupe Alpha, whose subsidiary, Secafi, supports employees’ representatives and trade unions. Consultingeuropa is able to gather a pool of experts in order to give you the most appropriate answer (sectoral, technical, human…). Our experts come from parents companies and from privileged partners in different European countries. 2

  3. Consultingeuropa Brussels Essen (PCG) Paris (Secafi) An european network Wilke, Maack & Partners Hamburg Academicpartner Expert on EWC’s GöterburgUniversity Presence Group Luxembourg University of Leuven Gitp Rotterdam Warwick University Strathclyde University FES - Warsaw Solution4 Budapest Thompsons Solicitors London Qland Bucarest Labour Asociados Madrid EuropeanUniversity Institute Firenze Fondazione Seveso Milan Universidade de Coïmbra Universidad Carlos III Madrid 3

  4. Background I The projecthas been developed after feedback from works councils in the rail production sector and the EMF Mechanical Engineering Committee. Through the exchange of information, research and workshops, the TRAIN Project aims to build up a network of works councils and specialised trade unionists with a view to increasing expertise and knowledge transfer from the shop floor to the European level on the outlook for employment and innovation.

  5. Background II On the one hand, rail production has been hard hit by the ongoing financial and economic crisis in terms of production and employment. On the other hand, the sector is crucial In terms of employment sustainability and industrial competitiveness. In fact IndustriAll argues that it represents an often underestimated key sector for the sustainable industrial development of Europe..

  6. Ourexternalsupport: A) Discussingwiththe EMF theneedsandchallenges on theproject in 2010/2011 B) Doing a process-oriented study for the TRAIN project C) Support to establish a network • Developing a semi-standardized questionnaire that asks around 20 specific questions about three domains: • strategic outlook for the industry • role of the European Works Council, • expectations of the employees.

  7. What happend? Kick off / Prepartory Meeting on the 7th of November 2011 In order todeveloptheoperatingagendaandto fix thetimeframe on theproject First Workshop on the 30th of November – • Discussingchallengesandemploymentperspectives on different countries andsites • Discussingthecreation on theinternalmarketforrailwayoperators in Europes • Discussion on the EU-White Paper on Transport 2011 • Presenting a draftedsurvey in order toestablishanddeepennetworkstructures

  8. What happend? Second Workshop on the 12th January 2012 • Discussingwith a representativefromthe EU-COM on the Transport White Paper • Reflecting on the CCMI paper on the European railwayequipmentsector • Introduction on the shift2rail projectby UNIFE • Discussion on theinteractionofthesethreeinitatives - howtoformulate a jointpositionasemployeerepresentatives

  9. What happend? Third Workshop on the 29th of March • Presentingtheresultsandthesurveyofthequestionnaire • Presentationanddiscussion on the Situation in different countries like Spain, Germany and France • Synthesesofprospectivechallanges in thesector (employment, lack ofinvestments in Europe, Subcontracting, callforbids) • Decisiontocontinuetheexchangeandstakeholderinteractionandtoorganize a final conference – especiallytopresentandtovote on a final declaration

  10. The report „Lessonslearned? – Challengesofthetransformationofthetrainandrailwayinfrastructuretowards a sustainable European transportsystem“ Werefelct on: Ambitionsbythe EU-COM toestablish an integrated European railwayarea European Internal Transport Area“ – am issuesandchallanges (1) opening of the internal rail transport market to competition, (2) improving the interoperability and safety of national networks and (3) developing rail transport infrastructure. Critcalview on theliberalizationoftherailwaymarketandtheinterventionlevelsofthe EU_COM (therailwaypackages) in order to understand tocurrentwhitepaper • Needs towards solid European standards for working conditions and closer cooperation of trade unions on cross-border working conditions and collective bargaining issues.

  11. Tounderlinetheseneeds I: Weintegratethe Position Paper fromthe European Transport WorkersFederation - Selected demands: • Increasing competition is not played at the expense of workers • Protection against wage and social dumping • Strengthen public services or services of general (economic) interests at EU level • Requirement of strong investment in rail infrastructure under state responsibility • Give a higher priority to the concept of "sustainability" in the face of the challenges in the transport by the threat of climate change and resource scarcity

  12. Tounderlinetheseneeds II: Weprovide a criticalreview on the EU White Paper on Transport 2011 Takenintoaccoutformerstatementsbythe EU-COM in Green and White Papers on transport • Given a criticallookbackwardstowardstheformeraimsandthetilltodaygrowingtransport on theroads • Based on thedetectionofsixerrors in the EU-Papers (likeoptimisticgrowth, Unilateral understandingofrailtransportor Market credibility - demands on competion, privatisationandseperationfromnetworkandoperation.

  13. The crisis in the European railindustry General trends: • Lack ofmarketgrowth in Europe • Increasedcompetitonanddownwardtrend in prices • Market growth e.g. in Asiaandrelocationofproduction Evolution bytheworldmarketzones: • Providing an outlook on different regions

  14. The challengesfrom an employerperspective • Railinvestment in Central and Eastern Europe is limited • Skills needscan not bematched • International tradeisdistored Twoanswers – „The Shift2Rail Initiative“ andthe „Joint Technology Initiative“ toget European Leadershp in global marktes Focussing on researchthemes: • HowtoincreaseattractionfortheRailtransportsystem • Howtoreach a high Performance Rail System • Howtoreach a dependableintegratedRail System

  15. The challengesfromtheEmployee´srepresentativesperspectives I • Reporting andreflectingthediscussionswithintheworkshopsandthisconference 2) A surveywerealizedwith a semi-standardisedquestionaire

  16. The challengesfromtheEmployee´srepresentativesperspectives II Outsourcing, offshoringandrelocation (R&D) – nomadicstructuresofthemarket • Annoucementof Outsourcings, RestrucuringsandRelocationstogivepressure on wage agreementsandcollecitvebargainings • Healthandsafteyissues • Relocationof R&D intogrowingmarketslikeIndia Lack of Investments - economiccrisis, national austerityplans, philosophyofcostreduction – competitionbetweencompaniesandemployees

  17. Outlook on different countries bythe national reports • Dollars per $1,000 of GDP Source: SCI Verkehr

  18. The surveywedid – 26 replies(e.g. Alstom, AnsaldoBreda, Bombardier, Siemens, Balfour Betty Rail, Transtech OY, TSTG Schienentechnik GmbH, GutehoffnungshütteRadsatz GmbH, Thales, Vossloh and VoestAlpine.) • The survey analysis had the objectives: • To compare the challenges in terms of economic and social issues in order to assess the current situation and develop normative suggestions. • To analyse the results of the questionnaire, to draw some lessons from the challenges they face, particularly in terms of restructuring (most of the companies we evaluated had seen restructuring processes in the last two years). • To allow the members of the TRAIN network to develop axes of reflexion on the role and importance of the European works councils in these processes. • - But it gives just a flashlight: The restricted sample of responses does not allow us to draw really reliable conclusions on the sector.

  19. Challenges faced by the works councils according to nationality: • German works councils are predominantly occupied with safeguarding employment in 2011 • In Spain and France working conditions are at the top of the WC-agenda • The issues of employment, health and safety are generally well discussed and high on the priority list of most representatives • The anticipation of change is largely not considered. Is it already well managed?

  20. Of the economical challenges faced by the works councils France names outsourcing and delocalisation as very important points of discussion. • The question on prospective investments is an issue for all companies

  21. The employee representatives are facing considerable challenges in terms of new contracts in Europe - increasing debt crisis in Europe • The anticipation of skill needs in the companies is particularly challenging. • There are legitimate concerns about the lack of funding large scale project in Europe. The commitment to achieve a significant share of production in foreign client countries is indeed growing stronger in order to win new large contracts.

  22. In this context, maintaining jobs and retention of skills are major issues and the risk is that sites will be weakened during the crisis; also in this context of relocation of production in client countries, it is necessary to be very vigilant to outsourcing operations in the direction of low-cost countries. This applies to all players in the sector. • The 3 major companies Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens (ABS) are well prepared to deliver their products in the emerging markets. • Sites outside of Europe will profit from this trend and EWC members want to get in contact with them in order to defend good social standards internationally.

  23. CONTENT ofthereport 1) Foreword 2) Introduction 3) The Creation on an Europan Internal Transport Area – Issuesandchallanges 4) The EU White Paper on Transport 2011 – A criticalreview 5) The crisis in therailindustry (more European than global) 6) The challengesofthesector (employerperspective) 7) The challengesofthesectorfromemployee´srep. perspective 8) Conclusions 9) Recommendations

  24. Conclusion and Recommendations will be developed based as well on the discussions of the conference Thank you Jörg Weingarten

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