29 October 2001EFBWW1 An introduction for EFBWW 1. General introduction 2. EMF Principles 3. EMF EWC Task Force 4. Binding Guidelines 5. EMF EWC Co-ordinators 6. Other activities 7. Role EWCs vs. Trade unions By Luc TRIANGLE, Chairman EMF EWC Task Force -

29 October 2001EFBWW2 1.GENERAL INTRODUCTION demand for more than 25 years demand for more than 25 years first experiences : 80’s (Volkswagen, Renault, SKF,...) turning point 22/09/94 first experiences : 80’s (Volkswagen, Renault, SKF,...) turning point 22/09/94 art. 13 (150 agreements) and art 6. period art. 13 (150 agreements) and art 6. period Now : 250 agreements, +60 % workforce covered, 70 ongoing negotiations, still to go Now : 250 agreements, +60 % workforce covered, 70 ongoing negotiations, still to go Total : 650 agreements, to workers’ representatives involved Total : 650 agreements, to workers’ representatives involved

29 October 2001EFBWW3 2. EMF PRINCIPLES European approach instead of national approach European approach instead of national approach Strong co-ordination Strong co-ordination - binding guidelines negotiation process - EMF Co-ordinators - Task Force : negotiators, trade union co- ordinators, guides for the existing EWCs Initiate negotiations Initiate negotiations EWCs and European company policy are now one of the three main items in EMF activities EWCs and European company policy are now one of the three main items in EMF activities

29 October 2001EFBWW4 3.EMF EWC TASK FORCE 25 – 30 members (= experts, negotiators, trade union coordinators = all in one person) 25 – 30 members (= experts, negotiators, trade union coordinators = all in one person) Started in 1994 with only a few participants, annual increase of participation. Important : always the same person ! Continuity ! Started in 1994 with only a few participants, annual increase of participation. Important : always the same person ! Continuity ! Countries : all EU cy’s (except : Irl., Gr.) + N, CZ, P, H Countries : all EU cy’s (except : Irl., Gr.) + N, CZ, P, H 5 two day meetings/year, English, Brussels + other 5 two day meetings/year, English, Brussels + other No external financial support (except seminars) No external financial support (except seminars) Elected chairman + support of EMF secretariat Elected chairman + support of EMF secretariat

29 October 2001EFBWW5 3.EMF EWC TASK FORCE Agenda : untill 1998 mainly ongoing negotiations, Agenda : untill 1998 mainly ongoing negotiations, from 1999 : also support existing EWCs Ongoing negotiations : Ongoing negotiations :. Coordination start new procedures. Follow – up ongoing negotiations. Decision on signing (or not signing) an agreement (see guidelines)

29 October 2001EFBWW6 4.BINDING GUIDELINES (= Eur. approach) No difference between Spanish, German or Norwegian ‘negotiator’ No difference between Spanish, German or Norwegian ‘negotiator’ Each SNB, one ‘EMF expert’ Each SNB, one ‘EMF expert’ Guarantees a minimum quality in all agreements Guarantees a minimum quality in all agreements guidelines, approved by EMF Executive Committee (11/96) guidelines, approved by EMF Executive Committee (11/96) Task Force decides in case of draft ‘under requirements of guidelines’ Task Force decides in case of draft ‘under requirements of guidelines’ Examples : Fiat, GE,... Examples : Fiat, GE,...

29 October 2001EFBWW7 4.BINDING GUIDELINES Content : Procedure Procedure Pre-meeting Pre-meeting Simultaneous translation Simultaneous translation EMF expert EMF expert Exceptional circumstances Exceptional circumstances Steering committee Steering committee Recommendations : C & E Europe,... Recommendations : C & E Europe,

29 October 2001EFBWW8 5. EMF EWC Co-ordinators Objective : EWCs should become real European information and consultation bodies, with trade union (EMF) influence, support and guidance How : designating an EMF Co-ordinator for every existing EWC

29 October 2001EFBWW9 5. Role EMF EWC Co-ordinators Must know what happens in his/her EWC Must know what happens in his/her EWC First contact for other unions First contact for other unions Support and guide for EWC members Support and guide for EWC members Safeguard the European approach of the EWC and the EMF policy towards existing EWCs, CB, IP Safeguard the European approach of the EWC and the EMF policy towards existing EWCs, CB, IP Role EWC in exceptional circumstances Role EWC in exceptional circumstances Link between EWC(members) and EMF Link between EWC(members) and EMF

29 October 2001EFBWW10 5. EMF EWC Co-ordinators Role EMF : Assemble and support EMF co-ordinators Assemble and support EMF co-ordinators Training Training Continuous flow of information on EMF decisions, opinions and activities Continuous flow of information on EMF decisions, opinions and activities

29 October 2001EFBWW11 5. EMF EWC Co-ordinators Benefit or value : One (EMF) approach towards existing EWCs One (EMF) approach towards existing EWCs Not only of use for EWC support, but also extra input for EMF sectoral activities, collective bargaining and industrial policy Not only of use for EWC support, but also extra input for EMF sectoral activities, collective bargaining and industrial policy From a EWC Task Force to a Task Force on Company policy and EWCs From a EWC Task Force to a Task Force on Company policy and EWCs => EMF Ambassadors in the 250 existing EWCs and for the 5000 to 6000 individual members

29 October 2001EFBWW12 5. EMF EWC Co-ordinators Nomination of EWC Co-ordinators Nomination of EWC Co-ordinators Objective : designation of an EMF Co-ordinator for every EWC Objective : designation of an EMF Co-ordinator for every EWC To achieve all this : full support needed from every EMF member union

29 October 2001EFBWW13 6.OTHER ACTIVITIES Action plan Task Force till 2003 Action plan Task Force till 2003 Sectoral conferences (steel, ICT, automotive,...) Survey in cooperation with ETUI Sectoral conferences (steel, ICT, automotive,...) Survey in cooperation with ETUI Role EWCs (negotiation ?) and role vs. Trade unions (see point 7) Role EWCs (negotiation ?) and role vs. Trade unions (see point 7) Revision of the directive Revision of the directive European Company Statute European Company Statute Database Database Role EWCs in case of restructuring, mergers, acquisitions Role EWCs in case of restructuring, mergers, acquisitions

29 October 2001EFBWW14 6.OTHER ACTIVITIES Global works councils (in cooperation with IMF) Global works councils (in cooperation with IMF) Trainers manual and training seminars Trainers manual and training seminars Cooperation with CB and IP committee Cooperation with CB and IP committee

29 October 2001EFBWW15 7. ROLE EWCs vs. TRADE UNIONS two - pillars at company level : employee pillar and trade union pillar two - pillars at company level : employee pillar and trade union pillar employee - pillar : works council, betriebsrat, conseil d’entreprise, ondernemingsraad, …. employee - pillar : works council, betriebsrat, conseil d’entreprise, ondernemingsraad, …. Trade union pillar : shop steward, vertreuensman, délégué syndical, kaderlid, militant, … Trade union pillar : shop steward, vertreuensman, délégué syndical, kaderlid, militant, … in some countries : trade union pillar took over role employee pillar in some countries : trade union pillar took over role employee pillar

29 October 2001EFBWW16 7. ROLE EWCs vs. TRADE UNIONS at European level : structure of social dialogue at European level : structure of social dialogue intersectoral : UNICE vs. ETUC sectoral : WEM, Eurofer,... vs. EMF company : European company managem. vs. … ? EWC ?

29 October 2001EFBWW17 7. ROLE EWCs vs. TRADE UNIONS - > missing link in the European structure of social dialogue : no legal trade union role at European company level Do we need a legal trade union role ? Do we need a legal trade union role ? Yes, because not every EWC is as unionised as the EWCs of GM, FORD, SIEMENS, … which are 100 % unionised and steered by the unions.

29 October 2001EFBWW18 7. ROLE EWCs vs. TRADE UNIONS A legal trade union role at European company level and a clear (legal) understanding on the role (and limits) of the EWCs must guarantee that the EWC (also these with only a few union members) becomes not a council which also starts negotiations with management and in that way becomes a competitor for (national) legal trade union rights. A legal trade union role at European company level and a clear (legal) understanding on the role (and limits) of the EWCs must guarantee that the EWC (also these with only a few union members) becomes not a council which also starts negotiations with management and in that way becomes a competitor for (national) legal trade union rights.

29 October 2001EFBWW19 7. ROLE EWCs vs. TRADE UNIONS EMF demands legal rights for trade unions at the European company level EMF demands legal rights for trade unions at the European company level EWCs : partners, no competitors EWCs : partners, no competitors Complementarity between tasks (and limits !) of EWCs and trade unions Complementarity between tasks (and limits !) of EWCs and trade unions - EWCs : mainly (improved) information and consultation rights - Trade union : collective bargaining on wages, working time (= classic trade union items)