working together effectively across borders SINTTAV Conference on - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

working together effectively across borders SINTTAV Conference on EWC training EWC representatives to ensure effective worker representation Lisbon, Portugal – 19 April 2013

working together effectively ● new directive = new challenges ● “ensuring the effectiveness of employees’ transnational information and consultation rights”  appropriate time, fashion and content  in-depth assessment  potential effect, possible impact, proposed measures  opinion that may be taken into account  obtain a motivated response ? art. 13 / art. 6 2

working together effectively ● new directive = new challenges ● “ ensuring that Community legislative instruments on information and consultation of employees are better linked” + 3

working together effectively ● new directive = new challenges ● right to training ● balanced representation (activities, category, gender) ● 1 seat per (fraction of) 10% ● to represent collectively the interests of all employees ● obligation to inform local representatives / all staff ? renegotiations 4

working together effectively ● old barriers ● multiple heterogeneities or united in diversity ? o nationalities, languages, cultures o constant turnover of members and composition o mix of trade unions and independent members o individual background and motivation o different concepts of industrial relations ● restructuring, austerity, relocations, closure o internal competition o little or no impact of opinions ● stay motivated !!! o risk of folding back on national level 5

working together effectively

working together effectively

working together effectively

working together effectively

working together effectively ● support from national trade unions ● every union has its own policies and organisation ● ideally one person in every union (con)federation for international affairs and/or EWCs ● coordination of the own members in EWCs ● training, conferences, publications, websites ... ● in close cooperation with the European federations ● cooperation with the other unions in the same country ? ● cooperation with unions from other countries for joint projects and trade union alliances

working together effectively ● support from European Trade Union Federations 21 26 79 94 226 592 11

working together effectively ● support from ETUF ● every federation has its own EWC and multinational company policies and strategies ● in close cooperation with the affiliated unions, the global federations, the other ETUF and the ETUC ● one person in charge for EWCs in every ETUF UNI : Sabrina Di Marchi EFFAT : Daria Cibrario ; IndustriALL : Isabelle Barthes, Chantal Carron ETF : Cristina Tilling ; EPSU : Jerry van den Berge FETBB : William Van der Straeten ● training, conferences, publications, websites ● must be informed about start of negotiations ● expert in SNB and coordinator in EWC

working together effectively ● support by a coordinator ● permanent or occasional expert ● contact for the represented unions and for the European Federations ● trade union officer appointed by the ETUF ● must be accepted by the EWC ● (re)negotiations, merger of agreements ● knowledge of the sector and other EWCs ● encourage cooperation between unions ● promote group cohesion ● protect the interests of “small” countries ● mediator in case of an internal conflict

working together effectively ● support by the ETUC ● one confederal secretary in charge of EWCs : Claudia Menne, assisted by three advisors : Wolfgang Kowalsky, Séverine Picard and Marina Monaco ● coordination between EWC experts of the ETUF and ETUI ● harmonisation of policies and activities ● Worker Participation Working Group ● contacts with the European Institutions and employers federations ● conferences, publications, research and training (ETUI)

working together effectively ● support by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) ● the European Worker Participation Competence Centre (EWPCC) o expertise, training, publications, conferences… o financed by SE board members ● Research o unit 1 : Europeanisation of Industrial Relations o 8 experts on EWCs, board level representation, SEs, national trade unions, multinational company strategies, labour law ● Education o “the N.E.T.” : 15 trainers, experts o 3 education officers, 1 language officer (EN/FR) 2 administrative assistants o pathways and “open” seminars ● websites o ewcdb.eu o worker-participation.eu + ecdb.worker-participation.eu o labourline.eu 15

working together effectively ● so far so good ? ● insufficient information consultation almost non-existing ● problems to assert EWC rights ● limited role for trade unions ● very heterogeneous body ● problems with internal communication ● companies constantly restructuring ● negative attitude from management ( or too positive…) ● demotivated employee representatives ● folding back to the national level 16

working together effectively ● so far so good ? ● no EWC = no information ● recast directive offers new opportunities ● communication network of representatives ● creation of trade union alliances ● European and global framework agreements ● global works councils ● positive/uncertain attitude from management ● concrete and positive results ● active participation of non-trade union members 17

working together effectively reach for the stars ... ... together we can ! 18