News type
Date end
News memo
On 22 October 2020, the trade union federations in Brussels updated their emergency recommendations for European and SE works councils, which they had developed in March 2020 for online meetings (see report in EWC News 1/2020). Since the coronavirus pandemic has continued longer than expected, they now no longer call for postponing annual EWC meetings but instead recommend rules for the temporary use of video conferencing.
Face-to-face meetings should be the norm again starting from March 2021. Digital tools must not replace the right to face-to-face meetings, otherwise it would not be possible to work effectively together nor to have solid communication between delegates (see report in EWC News 3/2020). The unions recommend the use of the highest quality video conferencing systems and to spread meetings over several days, with sessions lasting at most half a day. The guidelines also include rules for secret ballots and a template agreement that can be concluded with central management. In the beginning Special Negotiating Bodies should not hold virtual meetings since delegates generally do not yet know each other very well. The recommendations are available in eight languages.
Source Info
News Ref
4/2020
News date