Societas Europaea Training and support for workers representatives Jean-Claude Le Douaron ETUCO Peter Kerckhofs, ETUI

General questions Which companies will opt for Eur Statutes ? Also SMEs ? What is the role of EWCs and voluntary WWC in the SE creation proces and after ? WE NEED TO ANTICIPATE

Lessons from rush EWC agreements mid-96 Lower level agreements / praxis developped agreements not always => Importance to be prepared to get good agreements from the start Only 6 months to negotiate => to be prepared for fast negotiations a common negotiation position is needed => discuss differences before Some reps might not be interested in training on the SE, nor on participation in the SE => task for coordinators to convince them participation is good

Target groups for ”SE” training and support European and national TU – coordinators SNB negotiators Members of the body representative of the employees Workers reps in supervisory or administrative organs All EWC members / all TU reps TU General Secr. & TU board members (develop TU policy and follow up transposition SE involvement directive)

TU coordinators & SNB members SNB Involvement of employees Implication des travailleurs Beteiligung der Arbeitnehmer

TU coordinators and SNB members Knowledge Skills checlist for negocitaiton & guidelines Training priorities Support AS GMBH SE Holding +  SE AB AG SA ltd SE Subsidiary AG SE

”The body representative of the employees” Tasks: information & consultation

Task: Information Means the informing of the body of representative of the employees and/or employees’ representatives by the competent organ of the SE on questions which concern the SE itself and any of its subsidiaries or establishments situated in another Member State or which exceed the powers of decision-making organs in a single Member State at a time, in a manner and with a content which allows the employees’ representatives to undertake an in-depth assessment of the possible impact and, where appropriate, prepare consultations with the competent organ of the SE;

Task: Consultation Means the establishment of dialogue and exchange of views between the body representative of the employees and/or the employees’ representatives and the competent organ of the SE, at a time, in a manner and with a content which allows the employees’ representatives, on the basis of information provided, to express an opinion on measures envisaged by the competent organ which may be taken into account in the decision-making process within the SE;

”The body representative of the employees” What skills and knowledge ? What support?

Workers reps in supervisory or administrative organs Task: Participation ?

Participation Means the influence of the body representative of the employees and/or the employees’ representatives in the affairs of a company by way of: - the right to elect or appoint some of the members of the company’s supervisory or administrative organ; or - the right to recommend and/or oppose the appointment of some or all of the members of the company’s supervisory or administrative organ

Workers reps in supervisory or administrative organs Knowledge? Skills? Support?

Local reps Contacts Information Skills Knowledge Support

Training and support for each target group Provided at national level How much? Financed by? Provided at european level How much? Financed by ????

Training and support TU-Co-ordinators & SNB The content of the regulation and the directive – Different ways to create a SE – Standard rules Systems of workers involvement – Participation!!! ETUC strategy EIF guidelines (???) ???

”The body representative of the employees” Rights, duties & legal basis of their mandate Company structure and strategy How to analyse financial information Communication and exchange of information (Cross cultural communication skills?) Workplace representation systems – Information, Consultation, Participation rights?

Workers reps in supervisory or administrative organs Rights, duties and legal basis.. Work organisation of the supervisory or administrative organ The company report Assessing social impact of organ decisions How to influence decisions and strategies Preparation & follow up of meetings Contacts & exchanges with other bodies representatives of the employees… ????

Agenda for SE research and support Agenda for SE research and support Understanding the Regulation and the Directive  brochure, conference, training, expert support Identify motives & willingness companies (negotiation positions)  identify advantages & disadvantages SE for Company Best SE particiaption Agreement  Full Text Database participation agreements Identify further needs for training & support  Survey practitioners Best & better SE ‘european’ participation practice  Longitudinal SE case studies 2007 collect demands revision Se participation directive

Training Organised by ? How much Financed by? TU Co-ordinators SNB members Members of representative bodies Members of supervisory or administrative organs

Agenda for SE research and support