Collective bargaining: trends and developments Susan Hayter International Labour Office Geneva D I A L O G U E

Global trends in collective bargaining Overview: Trade union density, collective bargaining coverage Trade union density, collective bargaining coverage Trends and developments in different regions Trends and developments in different regions Enlarged collective bargaining agenda Enlarged collective bargaining agenda

Membership of trade unions in overall terms Source: ILO Survey 2007

Trade union density higher income countries

Trade union density developing countries (circa 2007)

Role of collective bargaining in determining working conditions Source: ILO Survey 2007

Collective bargaining coverage high income countries

Collective bargaining coverage developing countries (circa 2006)

Africa Legislative framework Bargaining structure Issues and challenges Strengthening organizational rights (e.g. organizational rights in public sector; trade union pluralism) Introducing or elaborating bargaining rules and procedures Creating institutions to support social dialogue and collective bargaining Largely mix between enterprise and sectoral level bargaining Tripartite structures key in Niger, Togo, DRC and Senegal Sectoral bargaining councils in South Africa Impact of structural adjustment Underdeveloped institutions Informal economy Fragmentation of trade unions Maturing of labour relations in public sector Unstable political structures and weak states Economic crisis: erosion of previous gains

Americas Legislative framework Bargaining structure Issues and challenges Strengthen collective bargaining institutions and extend rights (Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil) Supreme Court decision 2007 protects CB (Canada) Proposal to strengthen recognition and collective bargaining (United States) Mostly enterprise level Reinvigoration of sectoral wage councils in Uruguay Sectoral and enterprise level (coordinated by industry level trade union) in Argentina Extension of rights Flexible employment practices (precarious employment) Other workers’ organizations (Solidarista) Small size of establishments and ongoing fragmentation Increased use of safety clauses and opt-out Economic crisis: erosion of previous gains

Asia Legislative framework Bargaining structure Issues and challenges Strengthen organizational rights and enact procedures for recognition (Indonesia, Korea – public sector) Establish new institutional framework for IR (China, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, Cambodia, Mongolia) Reassert role of CB (New Zealand and Australia) Mostly enterprise level Weakening of Shunto in Japan Some sectoral bargaining emerging in Cambodia (garment), Korea (metal, banking, hospital), Sri Lanka (plantations) and India (cotton & textiles and plantations) Extension of rights (public sector, EPZs and migrant workers) Informal economy Flexible employment practices (precarious employment) Rise in labour disputes (Nepal, Vietnam, China) Economic crisis: erosion of previous gains

Europe and Central Asia Legislative framework Bargaining structure Issues and challenges Establishing legal frameworks (CEE) Amendments to procedures to allow more enterprise level bargaining(France) Regulating derogations: allowing derogations from min. (Finland); not allowing derogations from min. (Slovenia) Adaptation of inter-sectoral and sectoral bargaining to allow more enterprise level(EU15) Enterprise level (UK and CEE) Focus on tripartite structures, limited CB (SEE) Vertical coordination between levels EU15 EU enlargement and cross-border coordination of collective bargaining Derogations and the erosion of the system Flexible employment practices (precarious employment) Building capacity in SEE Economic crisis: erosion of previous gains

Enlarged collective bargaining agenda Flexible work practices: Flexible work practices: Wage flexibility (variable pay systems, pay incentives linked to productivity)Wage flexibility (variable pay systems, pay incentives linked to productivity) Working timeWorking time Work organization, quality control and standardsWork organization, quality control and standards Job evaluation systems/categoriesJob evaluation systems/categories Use of labour contracting (e.g. quotas)Use of labour contracting (e.g. quotas) Employment security: Employment security: Continuity of serviceContinuity of service Protect locationProtect location Job stabilizationJob stabilization Restructuring (e.g. notice, voluntary retirement, severance pay)Restructuring (e.g. notice, voluntary retirement, severance pay) PensionsPensions Employability: Employability: Training measuresTraining measures Leave and financingLeave and financing Gender and equal treatment: Gender and equal treatment: HIV/AIDS and disabilityHIV/AIDS and disability Family responsibilitiesFamily responsibilities Sexual harassmentSexual harassment Wage parity for contract labourWage parity for contract labour

Causes of collective disputes Source: ILO Survey 2007

In conclusion Economic crisis undermine gains and erode mechanisms…. Employment relationship key challenge….  Support the collection of data on trends  Development of policies and institutions that support sound labour relations  Capacity for adaptation: Policy support for collective bargainingPolicy support for collective bargaining Strong workers’ and employers organizationsStrong workers’ and employers organizations