Consultations with social partners after regional elections

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Following regional elections in Belgium in June 2004, trade unions and employers’ organisations have been consulted prior to the formation of new governments in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. Before commencing strictly political negotiations, those responsible for forming the new regional coalition governments invited social partners' leaders to discuss their demands .

The regional and European Parliament elections held in Belgium on 13 June 2004 were marked notably by gains for far-right parties: in Flanders, for instance, the extremist Vlaams Blok is now the second-largest political grouping in the region, though the far right made more modest gains in the other two regions, Wallonia and Brussels. As is the tradition in Belgium, the presidents of the parties that won most votes in each region have been charged with seeking to form new governing majorities. These are: Elio Di Rupo, the president of the Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste, PS) for the Walloon region and the French Community; Charles Picqué, also a member of the PS and a former regional Minister-President, for Brussels; and Yves Leterme, president of the Christian Democrats in Flanders (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams partij, CD&V), for the Flemish region.

In the course of their consultations, on 25 June each of the three regional 'government-formers' had separate meetings with trade unions and employers' organisations.

Discussions made most progress in the Walloon region. Before negotiations on a new government agreement began, the Walloon social partners and the Mr di Rupo approved guidelines for a forthcoming joint statement that will be incorporated into a 'renewed contract for the future' (Contrat d'avenir renouvelé), a successor to the outgoing government's 'contract for the future'. In particular, this will put the emphasis on social dialogue and industrial peace, as these are seen as the way to accelerate the region’s economic development. There are also plans to set up an 'advance warning committee' that will include the Walloon ministers of employment and the economy and representatives of the Walloon Union of Enterprises (Union wallonne des entreprises, UWE) the Union of Small Firms and Traders (Union des classes moyennes, UCM), the Belgian General Federation of Labour (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique/Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, FGTB/ABVV), the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens/Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond, CSC/ACV) and the Walloon Agricultural Federation (Fédération wallonne de l'agriculture, FWA). The task of this informal tripartite body will be to ensure that concertation takes place quickly should there be a danger of an industrial dispute getting out of hand.

The agreed guidelines also list a series of measures to be implemented jointly. In addition, the social partners will be involved in the three integrated programmes that will form the backbone of the 'renewed contract for the future': the establishment of business activities; the growth of knowledge; and social inclusion.

As soon as the new Walloon government is formed, it will commence negotiations with the social partners on the abovementioned joint statement. By proceeding along these lines, Mr di Rupo is trying to reply to criticism made when the 1999 'contract for the future' was being drawn up: at the time, both the trade unions and the employers complained that they had not been involved.

Roger Mené, the president of the UCM organisations for small- and medium-sized enterprises, has emphasised the importance of this initiative in the context of Belgium’s institutional development: 'Wallonia must make preparations to rely increasingly on itself. The political climate suggests that turbulent times lie ahead, and the best way of confronting them is to work together.'

In the Brussels-Capital region, Mr Picqué has held meetings with the social partners on four main issues - housing, employment, the economy and mobility. Representatives of trade unions and the employers appear to have fairly conflicting views. For example, on the issue of housing, CSC/ACV and FGTB/ABVV are members of a 'joint housing front', along with organisations such as the Tenants’ Union (Syndicat des Locataires) and League of Families (Ligue des Familles, which is arguing for a reform of property tax and calling for a temporary freeze in leases and rents for main residences. The Proprietors’ Association (Syndicat des propriétaires) is opposed to this as it believes that it would risk panicking owners, and reducing the supply of accommodation on the housing market.

In Flanders, representatives of CSC/ACV, FGTB/ABVV and the Federation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (Centrale Générale des Syndicats Libéraux de Belgique/Algemene Centrale der Liberale Vakbonden van België, CGSLB/ACLVB) have said they hope that the incoming regional government will make the fight against unemployment one of its priorities. They do not want policy to be focused exclusively on reductions of charges for citizens and enterprises. This is the substance of what they have indicated to the government-former, Mr Leterme. All three trade union organisations are seeking a 'strong' response to the current socio-economic situation, and a strengthening of the targets for 2010 set out in the 'Vilvoorde pact' (the Flemish 'pact for the future'- BE0206302T).

On behalf of employers, the administrator-delegate of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises (Fédération des entreprises de Belgique/Verbond van Belgische Ondernemingen, FEB/VBO), Rudi Thomaes, has called on the social partners to focus on key issues and to work together. Mr Thomaes has also warned of political developments that could flow from community tensions between Flemish and French speakers, and has argued that special attention should be given to the high level of costs incurred by enterprises.