Social Dialogue

1. Social Dialogue Summary of developments in EPSU sectors: • Electricity • Gas • Local and regional government • National and European administration • Hospitals EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

2. Social Dialogue Electricity • Dialogue since 1995 with formal committee established in 2000 • Initial focus on health and safety and training – more recently: telework, lifelong learning, equality and diversity, future of skill needs, enlargement, stress and corporate social responsibility, social dialogue in South East Europe • A major issue has been the impact of liberalisation on employment - committee convinced European Commission to undertake a detailed study of employment and the impact of restructuring (ECOTEC 2007). Joint position adopted. • Current issues include: corporate social responsibility, demographic change and skills, restructuring, social aspects of Energy Community South East Europe; 3rd liberalisation package. Follow up on stress agreement foreseen. Endorsement of the intersectoral agreement on violence at work proposed • No agreement achieved on emissions trading or security of supply • Discussion in the Standing Committee on Follow up and Implementation of joint statements EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

3. Social Dialogue Gas • Dialogue since 1998 with formal committee established in 2007 • Initial focus on health and safety and training • A major issue has been the impact of liberalisation on employment – first statement adopted on the detailed Commission study of employment and the impact of restructuring (ECOTEC 2007). • Joint statement adopted on endorsing the inter-sectoral agreement on violence at work and implementation process • Current issues include: demographic change and skills, social aspects of Energy Community South East Europe; third liberalisation package • Issue of concern is low participation employers’ side. EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

4. Social Dialogue Local and regional government Work programme 2006-2007: • Exchange of views on demographic change and human resources management • Joint statement on social dialogue • Joint statement on Green Paper on Labour Law – link with “flexicurity” debate • Project on restructuring of local services (in-house, outsourcing/insourcing, PPPs, inter-municipal cooperation), social dialogue and impact on employment • Guidelines on gender equality plans • First discussions on third party violence at work EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

5. Social Dialogue National and European Administration • Dialogue since 1991 but formal committee still not established • Trade union representation issue resolved in 2005 via creation of TUNED • June 2007, EU ministers for public administration endorse action plan for testing formal social dialogue in 2008-2009 : • Rules of procedure • Work programme • Evaluation under French and Swedish EU presidencies • Next steps: Adoption of the above by the EU directors General for public administration on 10-11 December 2007 & implementation of the work programme: • Joint position to Commission’s initiatives impacting national administration e.g revised Lisbon strategy on growth, employment and better regulation • demographic challenges: Joint analysis focusing on recruitment/retention, training, HRM and equality/diversity objectives • Building trust in government : EU-funded social dialogue project and collection of good practices on improving national administrations • Third party violence at work: participation as observers in multisectoral negotiations EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services

6. Social Dialogue Hospitals • informal social dialogue in the sector since the late 1990s with formal committee established in September 2006 • Issues on the work programme include retention of workforce, cross-border recruitment of health care workers, new skill needs. • In addition EPSU and HOSPEEM work on a project to strengthen social dialogue in the hospital sector in the EU, with a specific focus on the new EU member states. • On the agenda are also: the EC plans for health services. • EPSU and HOSPEEM negotiated a Health services declaration confirming the principles for health care in Europe EPSU Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue Conference 2007 The future of European industrial relations in the public services