Evolution of Manpower in the European Steel Industry: Vision of the Union Enrico Gibellieri 1 EUROPEAN STEEL COMPANIES–UNIVERSITIES JOINT CONFERENCE Warsaw April 2007

2 One of 9 European Industry Federations 72 member organisations and 4 associated member organisations in 33 countries 26 languages 5,5 million metalworkers ETUC member European Metalworkers’ Federation, EMF

3 Main goals Cooperation between affiliates – Developing Common Positions and Common Policies Interest Representation vis-à-vis European Institutions Counterweight vis-à-vis European employers’ organisations and multinational companies

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5 The EU Steel Industry The European Union (EU27) steel industry is experiencing massive upheaval and change. At the centre of numerous industry developments is a workforce of approx. 350, ,000. It is important that company decisions and processes of change are inclusive of the workforce and their representatives.

6 People working in the steel industry will be at the centre of the drive for change. The industry workforce is key to the success of a changing steel industry. The industry will need the support of the workforce to facilitate sector developments. The industry needs to prepare people to address change in constructive ways. Change must be managed in a socially acceptable manner. People

7 In the coming years the European steel industry will be faced with an unprecedented and demanding situation: The age structure in most steel producing companies is such that more than 20% of its workforce will retire (or be made redundant) over the next ten years, and close to 30% will leave over the following ten years. This huge transformation will not only be quantitative, but will also have crucial qualitative dimensions. The outcome: a daunting challenge and a huge opportunity. People

8 Opportunities & Challenges The opportunity comes from the possibility to use substantial transformations in the composition of the steel industry’s workforce as an instrument for change. The challenge is to make sure that education and training systems have the capacity to supply the steel industry with the number of people it requires with the competencies it needs. At the same time the steel industry must develop its capacity to attract a more diverse workforce of highly skilled people in a competitive labour market. How do we meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities presented to us?

9 1) Life-long Learning Both the old and new parts of the workforce will need to invest in life-long learning to cope with new technologies and processes, acquire new competencies, and secure the positive development of their careers. As such, new approaches should be devised to ensure that appropriate training is available and that its quality is sufficient to maintain the excellence of the workforce.

10 1) Life-long Learning Life-long learning should be part of the proactive process of developing positive attitudes towards change: –People anticipate their career will cover various functions, potentially exerted in several companies from different sectors. –The quality and flexibility of the life-long learning schemes offered by the steel industry will become a differentiating element in the competition for contracting highly skilled people.

11 2) Workplace Improvements The continuously improving record of the steel industry in the field of health and safety should contribute to the attractiveness of the sector. The high priority given by the industry to the elimination of fatalities, accidents and work related diseases, is a sign of progress. Reaching these objectives implies significant behavioural changes, improving health and safety at work is a potent agent of change management.

12 3) Equality & Diversity Issues A consequence of a safer, cleaner and more technologically developed working environment, which requires more high skilled workers, is a steel industry workforce more diversely comprised. As mature and predominantly male and lower qualified sections of the workforce exit the industry, space is opened up for the recruitment of more highly qualified men and women of different and diverse backgrounds to populate the industry and forge its path in the twenty-first century. Questions will be raised for the industry in relation to gender, ethnicity, disability, generation and occupational and qualification profiles, which the industry must address.

13 The EMF activities The EMF is continuously monitoring and dealing with these issues through and/or in strict cooperation with: – its national member organisations –the EWC of the main steel companies –the EMF Steel Committee –the European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP) –the European Sector Social Dialogue Committee for the Steel Industry (SSDC).

14 The European SSDC for the Steel Industry In conformity with the Amsterdam Treaty, following the expiry of the ECSC Treaty, the EMF and EUROFER submitted a joint request to establish the SSDC for the European Steel industry. The first plenary meeting of the SSDC for the Steel Industry was held on 21st June The SSDC established a Steering Committee and four Working Groups as follows: –WG1 – Health & Safety and Improvement of Workplace Conditions –WG2 – Training and Life-long Learning –WG3 – Structural Change in the Steel Industry –WG4 – Joint political declarations The first three WGs meet regularly while WG4 only in case of need.

15 The European SSDC for the Steel Industry The EMF and Eurofer wish to continue and deepen their respective constructive dialogue tradition and thus contribute jointly to the future viability and employment prospects of the European steel sector. They think that the sectoral social dialogue framework offered by the European Commission represents the appropriate framework to continue, at a higher level, the sectoral dialogue that has been carried out in the Mixed Committee Steel. Both organisations envisage that the future role of the sectoral social dialogue committee should be to conduct serious reflections on topics of mutual interest, and to develop the capacity for subsequent joint action.

16 Thank you for your attention.