Win-win trade unions and worker

cooperatives

Maximizing social and economic potential in worker cooperatives:Social dialogue

for better working conditions and sustainable business performance

Marina Monaco – Gianluca Pastorelli

Scope, methodology, aim of the analysis

Desk and direct research in Italy France United Kingdom Spain

•The relationship trade union – worker cooperative movements: tied although sometimes controversial

- Shared values and methods but also- Criticisms emerged from the field research

•Social dialogue as a ground for overcoming emerged criticisms•Conditions for effective worker involvement and dialogue for

- Fostering innovation and competitiveness while- Enhancing good working conditions

•EU policy background: EU2020, SBI, Social Innovation, Social Investment Funds

A shared set of values

• Historical and ideological commonalities between TU and coop movements• Coops and Labour: the “mutualistic exchange” • Economic and industrial democracy/mutual responsibility and

commitment/CSR and integrated approach for sustainable companies• Wealth and social aims• Freedom, individual dignity/ social cohesion and inclusion/ legality

and security• Individual and collective development• Attention to people and to the community

A distinctive value-based scenario in the industrial relations perspective

• Set of values: identitary feature of “genuine” cooperative model • The industrial relations “arena” : distinctively characterised (higher unionisation rate, low degree of conflict, high collective

bargaining coverage, high percentage of open-ended employment contracts, legality and respect of rules)• Role of cooperative organisations: interest representation,

(somewhere) social dialogue, guidance, support and supervision

Value-based distinctiveness: collective bargaining and social dialogue• Preferential dialogue with public institutions (IT, UK, FR, SP)based on • Recognition of coops' role as both economic and social players• A series of shared goals

• Attempt to reproduce typical, peculiar distinctive values/features in industrial relations:• Collective bargaining: autonomous paths at different levels of quantitative

AND qualitative relevance (overall good working conditions)• The participatory method: worker involvement, social dialogue, industrial

democracy, widespread both formal and informal exchange

Criticisms in the relationship• The fall of the “quadrilateral” relations: TU – coops – politics – public

authority• The pressure of the global market and the economic crisis: anti-cyclic

dynamics vs cost-cutting and reduction of rights• Fragmentation issues: the risk of social dumping• Collective bargaining structure: jeopardising effectiveness of minimum

standards• Interest representation: TUs between internal conflict and pluralism;

representativeness: “pirate” agreements;• Coops: representativeness; “pirate” agreements; unilateral cancellation of

collective agreements; “fake cooperatives”•Position and working conditions of worker members: collective bargaining and protection as employees VS autonomy

Relaunching competitiveness while protecting labour rights and decent working conditions

• A combination of economic and social needs: TU & coops collaborating • Democracy and culture of labour: innovation strategies and greater

competitiveness• Competitiveness pursued not at detriment of workers' rights: human resources

first→ industrial strategy and company culture→ consciousness and responsibility→ integrated responses• Methodological key: participatory method (TU, Coops, PA)• “concertazione”, social dialogue, worker involvement

The collective dimension

• Safeguard and implementation of collective bargaining standards (IT)• Joint actions and bill for regional legislation in Emilia Romagna against exploitation and

social dumping in tenders and subcontracting• Provincial and regional observatory on cooperatives

• Assets seized to organised crime put back to community and work: the experience of Libera Terra: jobs and legality

• Supply of services of general interest and job creation: Wales Cooperative Centre and the promotion of the cooperative culture

• French “cooperative shock” and business transmission

Trade Union role:

• Collectivization of interests• Partnerships in joint protocols, relevant interlocutor with PA• Support to public supervisory authorities • Promotion of cooperative culture• Provision of education, training, knowledge and expertise• Awareness raising, campaign, political support• Counseling

The company dimension

• Innovation rationale: industrial and organisational strategies with worker involvement as a key for workplace innovation• Enhancement of human resources, innovation and sustainable

development: Formula Servizi• Efficiency of organised satellite cooperative suppliers and

professional development: Consortium Euro2000• Strategies of participation and solidarity: CMB

Trade union support

• Active interest representation of all workers• Assistance to member workers• Training • Collective bargaining at company level• Opportunities and locations for active information, consultation and

participation • The role of trade union representatives for health and safety• TU net and relations with the territory and impact on public opinion

Win-win relationship: pathways for combining economic sustainability and decent work• Company culture based on shared values (education)• A clear framework of rules: the role of collective bargaining• Awareness, consciousness and responsibility (all workers)• Putting into value decisional autonomy (substantial democracy)• All worker involvement• Relations with management• Community dimension • Transparency and mutual trust• Concreteness