Trade Unions in the 21st Century Thoughts about Organisation‘s Reforms

1. Frank HantkeRegional Project „ Labour Relations and Social Dialogue in South-East-Europe“Director Trade Unions in the 21st Century Thoughts about Organisation‘s Reforms • Post 11000 Beograd, Tadeusa Koscuska 8/5 • Tel. (381 11) 3284 255 • Tel. (381 11) 3285 513 • Fax (381 11) 2629 632 • E-mail frank.hantke@fes-sozialdialog-soe.de • Internet http:\www. fes-sozialdialog-soe.de Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

2. Overview  Preliminary Remarks • Some Principle Ideas • Deficits • Challenges • Basic Concepts • Closing Remarks Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

3. Preliminary Remarks • Trade Unions in the 21st century – needs are the same, but there must be found some new tools • In SOE we are in the middle of discussion about reform needs • Mentioning deficits is not meant as criticism but as the wish to bring in experience. • The then following needs for unions try to reflect the objective changes of social and economical system. • But there is not recipe or model! Everything should be understood as a help for finding a framework for individual solutions Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

4. Some Principle Ideas (I) • Old principles remain • Trade Unions are based on two pillars: • Power of MembershipPolitical power depends on number of members and union density • CompetencePolitical influence needs excellent experts on union‘s side • Trade Unions never will be invited for negotiations by free will • The ability for strike on the branch level is necessary for getting ear of the other side • Without this ability unions will be only petitioners Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

5. Some Principle Ideas (II) • How to get workers in these days? Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

6. Deficits (I) • Archaic membership structures • The average age of membership is growing • More pensioners less young members • Typical „blue collar members“ • Few „white collars“ • Membership mostly in big companies (shrinking number of works places!) • Very few members in SME (growing number of works places!) • Unsettled internal structure • Who does what on which level? • Too few synergy effect – much is done double, other needs are forgotten • Disorientation creates open questions about using membership fees more effective Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

7. Deficits (II) • Lack of expertise in umbrella organisations and on branch level • There are about 40 representative umbrella organisations in SEE with more than 800 branch unions on national level. All together they have less than 200 full time experts for economic and social issues • No internal career advancement, nearly no internal qualification for mid or long term functionaries • Nearly no exchange of competence with other parts of society (especially scientists) • Lack of ability for campaigning • No superior and common priorities for all unions of one country or even the region • Few basic approaches for campaigning „outside“ of companies and membership • Public turns away from unions: „Boring, looser-organisations, simply out … Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

8. Deficits (III) • International isolation • Although international membership and participation – but passive. Reasons: • Few knowledge of foreign languages • Few experts with international experience • Very few cooperation of branch unions in the region. Although many meetings but few results and common work like: • Labour market policy • Start of regional collective bargaining • Cooperation in multinational companies (banking, commerce, tourism etc.) Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

9. Challenges (I) • Changed tasks for unions • Labour laws in democracy don‘t clear all questions, but they are only frameworks. More and more practical shaping must be done by social partners. This means: more freedom for better solutions – and at the same time more risks for going under • Therefore unions have two main topics • Intensive and offensive work in politics for getting better legal frameworks • Intensive and offensive work on branch and company level to realise in the best way all legal regulations in practice – in all companies that means enforcing branch union work Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

10. Challenges (II) • Keeping „old“ membership • Better offers for members • Keeping members if they change their works place – they must not be lost • Members have to identify advantages through membership (good collective bargaining, protection, individual professional career etc.) • Getting new members • No one wants to be member of a „looser organisation“; unions have to be successful and – more than that – they have publish their successes • Unions cannot wait any longer passively for new members, they have to go to the people – to all areas where there is still nearly no unionism e.g.: • Private SME • Service sector • Schools and universities • Etc. Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

11. Challenges (III) • Creating professional competence • Unions need more good experts • Internal advanced training • Better use of membership fees • More cooperation with other unions and outside organisations • Adjustment of internal structures (principle of subsidiary) • What has to be done by the umbrella organisation (confederation) on all levels – community to international level? • What has to be done by branch unions on all levels – company to international level • How to define all these tasks so that there is a harmonic coordination • What has to be done on central level, what on decentralise level? Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

12. Challenges (IV) • Campaigning • Strategic campaigns • Mid- and long term campaigning • Unity of all unions in all matters of a campaign • There are many levels of campaigning: • Lobbying in the background • Good preparation with training etc. • Internal mobilisation • Possibility for escalation • Enthusiasm – also in the society • Ability for alliances • Unions have to be able to attract other organisations for a terminated or punctual alliance – but always unions have to keep their protection of interests! • Acceptance in the society • Union‘s campaigns need the support of parts of society! Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

13. Basic Concepts (I) • Core statement: new usage of membership fees • Unions in SEE are not poor • But they don’t use their money in the most efficient way • As political organisations they have to have the right concept on each level: • National level: Experts, lobbyists, qualification and training, campaigning, collective bargaining (branch level!) • Regional level: Experts, also lobbying (where there are partners on the other side) campaigning, collective bargaining • Local and company level: organisation, control of transfer of right „from paper“ to reality etc. Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

14. Basic Concepts (II) • Definition and profile of all parts of the organisation • Confederations: • Internal coordination, • external organ of unions, • lobbying • Federations: • Regional and national collective bargaining • Branch policies • Transferring „paper into reality” in companies • International branch policy • Centralisation where it is needed – decentralisation where it is possible • Which level can be most efficient? • Which challenges need more and stronger centralisation? Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

15. Basic Concepts (III) • Planning of a continuous development of competences • Long term plans for issues and persons • Development for „new“ challenges like women’s policy, attracting young people, SME, service sector, etc. • Open up of new arias of labour world • There will be new works places in: • Services • Private sector • SME • Especially therefore there must be experts qualified • And especially therefore there must be developed some new campaigns Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

16. Basic Concepts (IV) • Looking for possible alliances, reasons: • Unions are the biggest but not the only interest group in the society • Organising competence with scientists and others • Realising international exchange of knowledge – not only between presidents Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

17. Closing Remarks Labour World of 21st century has changed … • Higher diversity • Global • Particulate and more „colours“ … so the unions must change too! • More flexibility • Modern image • Multi-purposed work • More active, more self responsible • Co-determination with competent experts, functionaries and members Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad

18. Thanks a lot for your attention! Success for your discussions! Süd-Ost-Europa-Büro „Arbeitsbeziehungen und Sozialdialog, Belgrad