Recent developments in sectoral social dialogue

Source: European Commission.

Equal opportunities

Equal opportunities has been a key theme for the sectoral social dialogue over the past couple of years. Texts negotiated include a common declaration on the fight against racism and xenophobia, concluded in May 2000 in the commerce sector and best-practice anti-discrimination guidelines concluded in the postal services sector in November 2000. The textiles social partners are also working on a set of best-practice guidelines on the employment of women in the sector.

The commerce sector social partners have been preparing an accord on the treatment of older workers, which is expected to be signed in February or early March 2002.

Corporate social responsibility and fundamental rights

There have already been a number of accords on the topical issues of corporate social responsibility and fundamental rights, and negotiations are ongoing in a range of other sectors, such as textiles and personal services.

In the fishing sector, the social partners have agreed a joint opinion, recommending to the European Commission that it include a 'social clause' in agreements in the fishing industry between the EU and third countries.

Fundamental rights are currently the subject of discussions in sectors such as hotels and restaurants. In the footwear sector, a code of conduct on this issue was concluded in November 2000.

Modernisation of work

Many sectors are discussing issues related to the modernisation of work. For example, the private security sector is preparing a joint analysis which is subsequently expected to lead to a joint recommendation. This sector issued a joint declaration on this issue in July 2000.

Teleworking

Teleworking has been a major theme for discussions over the past few months, taking as its starting point the European Commission's first consultation of the social partners on the modernisation of work in June 2000 (EU0007259N) and its second consultation, which focused specifically on telework, in March 2001 (EU0103203F). The intersectoral social partners are currently engaged in negotiations, which began in October 2001, over a European-level agreement on this issue (EU0111102N). Voluntary guidelines on this matter were signed in the telecommunications sector in February 2001 (EU0102296F). Furthermore, a voluntary agreement was signed in the commerce sector in April 2001 (EU0105214F).

Training

The issue of continuing training has been occupying the social partners in many sectors. Sectors currently looking at this issue include footwear, leather, textiles, cleaning and maritime transport.

In the fishing sector, the social partners concluded an accord on the mutual recognition of qualifications in December 2000, while in the entertainment sector, a common declaration on continuing training was concluded in May 2000. In the sugar sector, a joint declaration on apprenticeship was reached in November 2000. In agriculture, the social partners are negotiating an agreement on vocational training (which may be signed during 2002), covering issues such as facilitating cross-border occupational mobility and improving working conditions and skills.

Health and safety

A range of sectors have been discussing health and safety in recent years, including fishing, gas, telecommunications and personal services. The agriculture sector published two safety manuals for workers in November 2000, while the construction sector has produced a common declaration on two EU Directives affecting health and safety in that sector. The social partners in personal services are preparing a project to establish a database on health and safety issues in the sector, including national regulations. The project should allow the partners to identify any shortfalls and examine possible solutions.

Social measures accompanying restructuring

Several committees focus on specific social problems related to the structural changes taking place in their sectors. For example, the railways committee is currently discussing ways to provide social legislation for personnel working in cross-border operations which will be boosted by the opening of the international freight market from 15 March 2003.

Sector-specific themes

A number of committees are using the social dialogue process to actively pursue a range of sector-specific themes. For example, the social partners in the civil aviation sector met in December 2001 to discuss the social and employment impact of the attacks on the USA on 11 September 2001 on their sector. Further, the social partners in the electricity sector have been successful in devising a common declaration, in November 2000, on the employment impact of the liberalisation of that sector.

On 13 December 2001, the social partners in the private security sector signed a joint declaration on the European harmonisation of legislation governing this industry. The main aim of the declaration is to improve the quality of services and of employment in the sector and to take full advantage of the EU internal market. The parties state that they believe that a European-level harmonised regulatory framework should be set up to cover a range of issues in the sector, including working conditions, health and safety, authorisation to work, professional training and the provision of cross-border services. The parties also agreed to begin negotiations on a code of conduct and ethics, and to look at the possibility of concluding framework accords in the future.

Enlargement

The theme of EU enlargement has also been gaining importance in recent months. Sectors which have recently held talks on this issue include footwear, telecommunications, banking, commerce and textiles. Talks in the cleaning sector resulted in a common declaration on enlargement in April 2001. In the live-performance branch of the media, entertainment and arts sector, a social dialogue meeting in November 2001 launched a joint project aimed at integrating unions and employers from candidate countries into the sectoral dialogue committee.

One of the main general problems with social dialogue on this issue has been the fact that only 5% of the total social dialogue budget may be put towards enlargement. However, this is now likely to change as the European Parliament recently approved a Commission proposal to lift this ceiling.

Commentary

This round-up of recently-agreed joint texts shows that the sectoral social dialogue is now really gaining momentum. As would be expected, it is looking at a number of issues which are also topical at intersectoral level, such as the modernisation of work (particularly teleworking), equal opportunities, corporate social responsibility and industrial restructuring. However, individual sectors are increasingly looking at sector-specific issues, including the effects of the recent economic downturn or of liberalisation in particular sectors. The sectoral social dialogue will in all probability increase its momentum in the coming years as more sectors create sectoral social dialogue committees. (Andrea Broughton, IRS)