EWCs and the REDITER project Outcomes, issues and follow-up Claude Emmanuel Triomphe - ASTREES

1. EWCs and the REDITER project Outcomes, issues and follow-upClaude Emmanuel Triomphe - ASTREES Lisboa, 27th of February 2011

2. 1. General framework 5 « national seminars » held in 2010 (France, Germany, Romania, Spain, UK) Mandate from UNI Europa and partnerships with national trade unions confederations National seminars but with participants coming from other countries and, sometimes, managers REDITER as part of a learning process - previous projects EsPERER - EWCs and restructuring; ELEX – training of EWC members from new MS) - 10 years ASTREES experience in training EWCs

3. 2. Participants • About 160 people (EWC delegates, unionists and managers) in the 5 seminars, with a mix between national and foreign participants • Most of the employee delegates, members of EWCs but some national trade union officials also involved (CARTEL ALFA, UNITE, UGT, VER.DI, CFDT). All EWC members were unionised • HR managers or employer representatives participated in 4 seminars and were involved in discussions with employee delegates • In terms of sectors • 4 seminars with a multisectoral approach (but priority given to th services sectors: banks, insurance, cleaning, private security, commerce, telecommunication, media) • The German seminar with a focus on the insurance sector.

4. 3. Contents / Methods • Common issue in all seminars The recast directive and its national transposition process. Presentations and discussions about included EU officials, ETUC and ETUI representatives, national trade unions and lawyers • Other issues included • Restructuring • Quality of information provided to EWCs and confidentiality issues • Globalization of companies, • Links between EWC members and employees, • All seminars included interactive activities (working groups, practical exercises), giving room for in depth exchanges of experiences between attendants.

5. 5. Training EWC – our experience • ASTREES experience with EWCs • 10 years with 15 in-house training, 4 cross country EU projects • + 650 participants (old and new MS) • General observation: training sessions as unique opportunities to analyse • how EWC really work, • what are the dynamics running between EWC members, • what are the real issues they are facing

6. Perception of EWCs by their members • Perception of EWCs by their members • What is an EWC? • Different models in Europe (50% of EU MS do not have national WCs!) • Different expectations from EWC members: a place to meet, to be informed, to act, to negotiate etc.. • Competencies: transnational dimension “only” ? Relay for national issues ?

7. Lessons learnt : thematic training (1) • Thematic training • EWC agreements: do EWC members know their own agreements and provisions to play with? • External and internal communication strategies: do they have an internal and external communication strategy and how do they work ? What use of new technologies and social networks ? • Occupational health: to what extent are EWCs equipped to face OHS issues, especially “new” ones: psycho social risks, health and restructuring

8. Lessons learnt : restructuring • Restructuring and economic strategies: do you have different interests ? Should EWCs propose alternatives to employers’ plans? And if yes, how they act to get a common plan? • Should EWCs set up minimum standards in terms of social plans and measures aiming at mitigating downsizing or closures? • What use by EWCs of IRENE European “code of conduct for socially responsible restructuring” and its 7 principles ? • Preparing a sustainable future • Promoting an efficient, enlarged and innovative social dialogue on restructuring • Taking in account local communities and promoting a multi-stakeholder dialogue • Ensuring fair and consistent professional transitions for all • Taking into consideration the health dimension of change and employment • Promoting financial responsible management of restructuring • Learning from restructuring experience.

9. Lessons learnt: EWCs external links • Links with trade unions and external actors • What relationship with EU and national trade unions : do TU national and EU federation really support EWC members ? What kind of coordination ? What is their duty and responsibility towards the trade union and the workers ? • What role of external actors like public authorities, NGOs: is the role EWCs only with the employer ? What about other actors: local communities, public authorities, media, NGOs ? • EWCs: a place for negotiation ? More than 100 agreements already “negotiated” by unionised EWCs.

10. Lessons learnt: roles within EWCs • Who EWCs do represent ? • Individual undertakings, countries, all workers ? • How do companies complex structures and employees’ fragmented status do influence EWCS work ? • What is the specific mandate of EWC representatives? • How are EWCs structured ? • What are the roles of select committees ? • What is the role of a basic EWC member ? • How is the employer represented in the EWCs ? • Is the employer member of the EWC or is he outside the EWC ?

11. EWCs, still USOs • USOs: Unidentified Social Objects • Main challenge: professionalization • Models of reference to be set up • Tangible outcomes for employees and for many EWC members themselves to be delivered • Risk to be “instrumentalised” by management • Need for EWCs own agendas

12. 6. Follow-up and dissemination: future Rediter Pages on IR Share • A multi-lingual website with documentations, resources and information to increase the understanding and improve the practice of decision-makers in European companies and employees representatives on industrial relations and employment law issues. • IR Share is independent and apolitical and provides training (and promote training provides by partners) , publication and analysis in industrial relations, employee relations and labour law issues. • IR Share offers a date base with mostly free resources. Some resources will be sell and affordable by on-line payment in Euro or with “IRcoins” given to users whose uploaded resources on the website.

13. Follow-up and dissemination: EWCs clubs and other ideas • A need to exchange and to work together • An idea born in…Bulgaria ! • A place to meet, to share experiences accross EWC members at national level (at least) • A place open to exchanges with managers dealing with EWCs • A place to think about EWCs agendas • National and European clubs ? • Other innovatives ideas ?

14. This the end..- • Thank you… • Muito obrigado… • Merci beaucoup ! • My websites • www.astrees.org • www.metiseurope.eu