Sectoral Social Dialogue Local and Regional Government

Committee of Regions, EcoSoc Committee

23 April 2013

1. Social Dialogue in the public sector in Europe2. The social partners CEMR and EPSU3. The outcomes of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Local and Regional Government4. Cooperation with the Committee of Regions ?

European social dialogue in the public sectorFormal committees bringing together employer organisations and trade unions across the EU:EPSU- 8 million workers/ 280 trade union organisation:- Local and Regional Government ; Hospitals; - Central Government Administrations. - Also works with IndustriAll in electricity and gas and EPSU

affiliates have two seats on Education social dialogue committee.

CEMR- representing employers’:- 50 National Associations representing 100,000 local and regional authorities in Europe;- Local and Regional Government ;

European social dialogue in the public sector

- Committees issue joint statements on EU policy;

- Develop agenda on issues like health and safety, training and gender equality, working conditions;

- Develop dialogue between Trade Unions and Employers’ at National level vis-à-vis EU Policies;

- Most significant step has been in Hospitals sector with negotiated agreement on dealing with sharps which has been implemented as EU legislation.

Social DialogueThe Commission’s view (reminder)

“As a driving force for modernisation of the European economy and the European social model, the social dialogue holds a crucial, unique position in the democratic governance of Europe.”

“It is a vehicle for core values of participation and responsibility…”

“…provides a suitable framework for managed modernisation.”

“The social partners are different from other organisations “because of their ability to take part in collective bargaining.”Commission Communication June 2002

Social dialogue at European level:• Clearly defined and takes place at cross-sectoral level, sectoral level (sector social dialogue committees) and company level (European works councils)• Social dialogue at national level varies considerably with varying levels of trade union density and collective bargaining coverage and different types of social dialogue institutions and practices

Collective bargaining coverage• Very high in some countries – not necessarily linked to trade union densityGenerally higher collective bargaining coverage in the public sector

Romania

France

Belgium

Slovenia

Finland

Portugal

Sweden

Netherlands

Denmark

Italy

Cyprus

Spain

Greece

Germany

Luxembourg

Malta

Czech

Ireland

Slovak

Latvia

Estonia

Hungary

UK

Bulgaria

Poland

Lithuania

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Collective bargaining coverage in Europe- even higher in public sector EPSU Collective Bargaining Seminar Tbilissi 2012

• Sector employs 17 million people in Europe

• Services include-depending on the country- health care, public transport, education, police services, fire services and water, social care, refuse collection, planning , parks, etc;

• Expenditure:15.5% of GDP in the 27 EU states and 33.9% of total public sector expenditure;

• Complexity of the sector: political and institutional, employment status and level of collective bargaining;

• Majority of EU states, 23 out of 27 have two or three tiers of local government (exc. BL);

• Employment status: 15 of 27 EU have special employment status, but CZ, PL and SL similar rules to private sector

• e.g. BL, CZ, HU, PL, SL significant responsibility for education and health

• Sectoral Social Dialogue established since 2004, first informal working group in 1996 between EPSU and CEMR-EP

The Local and Regional Government Sector

• Joint Response on Restructuring;• Joint Statements on the crisis;• Framework of Action 2013

Outcomes of our Committee work

• Important role of LRAs as employers’ and service providers is recognised;

• Recognises public sector employees and employers’ affected by cutbacks ( crisis);

• Highlighted agreements reached through National Social Dialogue (Ireland, Lithuania, Slovenia)

http://www.ccre.org/en/prisespositions/view/138http://epsu.org/a/8763

Joint Response to Restructuring

• Definition- A European Framework of Action consists of the identification of certain policy priorities towards which the national social partners undertake to work. These priorities serve as benchmarks and the social partners report annually on the action taken to follow-up these texts.

European Framework of Action

Framework of Action: Context (i)• Follow-up to project ‘Future of the workplace;• Contribute to a social and sustainable local and

regional Europe that supports the public sector as an employer;

• Overarching objective to better prepare Local and Regional governments as employers’ and their employees for future scenarios of its workplace.

Framework of Action: Context (ii)• Implement FoA starting in 2013, with a first

evaluation at the end of 2013. • Will serve the foundations for the upcoming

work programme of this European Social Dialogue Committee for 2014-2016.

1.Funding of local and regional authorities• Major strengthening of social dialogue to

improve public funding:– Strengthen and support Social Dialogue;

• Flexible approach to public procurement:– Different approaches and ways of service delivery – Social Criteria in public procurement

• Monitoring the impact of the crisis

2. Recruitment and retention• Analyse demographic change:

– How is this affecting our workforce?– Develop policies for older workers

• Providing jobs for young people:– How to integrate youth into our workforce?

3. Skills, lifelong learning• Look at training agreements in our sector

– Existing agreements exchange– Can we develop guidelines on training?– What kind of basic training is/will be needed in

our sector overall?• Moving towards the 15% target

– Links with the New Skills for New Jobs Flagship

4. Migration• Integration of migrants into our workforce,

exploring barriers and promoting anti-discrimination

• Continue to promote active inclusion – follow up 2008 joint statement

5. Gender Equality• Continue promoting our guidelines

– Dissemination and awareness-raising

• Monitor impact of public spending cuts on Equality

6.Providing sustainable workplaces• Environmental concerns- addressing green

jobs• Ensure employee and employer

representativeness in sustainable development– Examples in national context?– How should employees be involved in such

discussions?

Working with the Committee of Regions

- Implementing our Framework of Action?- Priority themes for ECOS?- Thematic discussions/workshops together

= Common goal : Representativity of Local and Regional Government !

20

Questions?