Moves to strengthen social dialogue in brewing sector

In May and June 2006, the social partners in the brewing sector held meetings within the framework of the Phare programme's twinning project aimed at strengthening social dialogue at national and sectoral level in Bulgaria. As part of this initiative, the brewing sector's social partners have been invited to present best practices of social dialogue in the sector, which are to be included in a 'good practice guide' to be drafted as part of the project's implementation.

In May and June 2006, the social partners in the brewing sector held discussions within the framework of the Phare programme's twinning project entitled 'Support for social dialogue'. The project has been implemented by the United Kingdom and Belgium in cooperation with the Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the social partners. It aims to facilitate social dialogue and collective bargaining, and to prepare the social partners at all levels to participate effectively in EU social dialogue. The social partners are invited to present best practices of social dialogue in the brewing sector, to be included in a 'good practice guide'.

Industrial relations in brewing sector

The brewing sector is considered to be one of Bulgaria's most successful sectors in promoting a new industrial relations culture. In Bulgaria, five out of nine brewing companies are subsidiaries of multinational companies such as Carlsberg, Heineken and InBev. This may explain why they tend to have well-organised industrial relations systems in place with active social dialogue mechanisms.

Improvements in social dialogue

President Krasimir Pashtrapanski of the Trade Union of Brewers (TUB), affiliated to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), presented examples of social dialogue practices at branch and company level. In addition, a Branch Council (BC) for social partnership has been set up to negotiate and sign biennial branch collective agreements. The council comprises representatives of TUB, the Federation of Food, which is affiliated to the Confederation of Labour Podkrepa (CL Podkrepa), and the Employers' Union of Brewers (EUB).

Collective agreements are also negotiated in each company. Social dialogue has made significant progress in the sector over the last few years and is being expanded to cover an increasingly wide agenda. The key priorities of social dialogue are employment, wages, health and safety, and social policy. As a rule, the labour and social standards reached through such negotiations are considered higher than the average national standards.

Examples of good practice

The sector's social partners also gave an outline of some of their practices that go beyond the traditional employer–worker relationship. They included the following examples:

• A charter on ethical standards of the social partners – the signing of the charter represents a new strategic step aimed at promoting labour rights in the global economy. The charter seeks to encourage constructive social dialogue and the joint promotion of International Labour Organisation (ILO) core standards, EU directives and national legislation on workers' rights. It is seen as an important step towards the introduction of corporate social responsibility in the sector. The parties to the charter are committed to developing constructive dialogue and to cooperating in the interests of the company and its employees. The employer aims to secure decent living standards for workers and their families.

• 'Competition of ideas' system – this system aims to promote work efficiency and productivity and to improve management practices on the basis of proposals from workers. The system allows workers to voice their opinions, thereby recognising their interests in: decision making on management practices, the economic and financial situation of the company, improvements in work organisation, vocational training, and production methods and technologies. The system promotes workers' initiatives and supports the creation of a corporate culture of identification with the company. The proposed ideas are discussed at the Social Partnership Commission every quarter. At the end of the year, at the meeting with the company management, the best proposals receive an award.

• Social plan 2006 – this plan was agreed by the social partners in Carlsberg Bulgaria as an integral part of the company's collective agreement. The plan aims to improve social policy within the company in relation to: the development of human capital, lifelong learning, the introduction of vocational training programmes, an improved work–life balance, the implementation of a new pay system based on the results achieved, and investment in environmental protection and health and safety measures at the workplace. The social partners also agreed to increase social spending on complementary pension insurance, transport, support for workers with serious illnesses, the development of sports facilities at the workplace and trade union representative activities, such as the celebration of a national brewers' day and national holidays.

Nadezhda Daskalova, Institute for Social and Trade Union Research (ISTUR)