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Media release for Congress resolution "R.2 - Collective Bargaining"
The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) will strengthen industrial relations tools in the enlarged European Union (EU) in the next four years. The practise of collective bargaining and social dialogue between employers and employees, in particular, will be vigorously promoted.
This commitment to improved use of these mechanisms and their entire extension to the ten new member states are contained in a Resolution: R.2. Collective Bargaining. This document will be tabled at EPSU’s Congress in Stockholm (14-17 June).
The EPSU document restates trade union rights, part of the European Social Model - at a key moment in Europe’s history - which EPSU pledges to defend over the next four years (Congress period). The advent of the European Single Currency and clearer definition of economic and social goals on the European Union (EU) level along with “corporate globalisation”, spurs this EPSU rededication to collective bargaining and social dialogue.
Coherent action is proposed on collective bargaining and social dialogue. EPSU’s four year work-plan will also act on information and consultation, European Works Councils (EWC) and worker input into the European Company.
The Congress document while acknowledging the importance of the “comprehensive economic and social agenda adopted by the Lisbon European Council, is alarmed by its tendency towards “deregulation, structural economic reform and labour market flexibility” as a panacea for sluggish growth. EPSU’s document welcomes European integration based on “economic growth, greater social justice and expanded employment”.
“Supposedly rigid labour markets”, it is argued, “do not hamper Europe’s economy”. It is “cuts in public budgets and high interest rates that do”, the Congress document asserts. “EPSU understands modernisation and positive change to mean improvements in working conditions and creation or employment. All too often the modernisation concepts proposed are nothing less than euphemisms for cost cutting, outsourcing and violation of worker’s rights”, it is added.
“EPSU supports modernisation that is based on negotiations between employers and unions. One-sided employer of government measures are rejected,” is how the potential EPSU position is presented. “A demand-orientated economic policy to foster economic growth” is also advocated.
The Congress document regards collective bargaining as “one of the means of regulating the market”. Its importance, the document believes, lies in the fact that “it is essential for improving working conditions, achieving economic growth, equality and a fair distribution of wealth”, and thus enhancing demand-driven growth.
Ongoing developments like performance related pay, the EPSU document says should be done through collective agreements. Such agreements are promoted in terms of their contribution to increased productivity, wage balance between the public and private sectors and between genders.
EPSU’s collective bargaining policies in the 4-5 Years Congress period will consolidate those initiated at the previous Congress in 2000, such as EPSU’s electronic Collective Bargaining network (EPSUCOB@). The proposed work-plan will deal with older and migrant workers for example. It also recognises that a European system of industrial relations is developing and requires a European Labour Court under the auspices of the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
Social dialogue is identified as an EPSU priority. Sectoral social dialogue is described as “formal and informal bilateral negotiations, at Community level, between representative socio-economic interests from the social partners, with the aim of participating actively in the improvement of living and working conditions in their sector, which ultimately produce legally and contractually binding collective agreements at the EU level, which must be implemented at the sectoral level in each member state. Quote from resolution break down.
Concerted action is also envisaged regarding information and consultation, European Works Councils (EWC) and worker involvement in the European Company. For instance, public administration workers being excluded from legislation on the information and consultation of employees could see EPSU consider an own initiative Directive by garnering support in the EU institutions, according to the document. Continued EPSU support for the establishment of European Works Councils (EWCs) in companies where it represents employees, is another policy plank pointed to by the Congress document.
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