Manufacturing unions want more worker involvement

In February 2011, three European-level trade union federations representing manufacturing workers agreed on a joint strategy to achieve stronger worker involvement in multinational companies. This joint approach has been triggered at least in part by a revised European Works Council directive, which came into force in June. The three federations want companies to find better ways to anticipate and manage change to minimise the negative impact it can have on employees.

Background

At a joint conference held in Elewijt, Belgium, on 2–3 February 2011, the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF), the European Chemical, Energy and Mining Workers’ Federation (EMCEF) and the European Trade Union Federation of Textiles, Clothing and Leather (ETUF-TCL) announced their intention to collaborate in order to strengthen worker involvement in multinational companies.

In a joint press release (102Kb PDF), the three federations stated that the purpose of working together is:

• to build common strategies, including joint actions at European level, and in particular to ‘prevent workers being played off against each other’;

• to support the development of the potential and powers of European Works Councils (EWCs) and ensure that information and consultation rights are exercised in a more coordinated manner at European level;

• to make best use of the new EWCs directive 2009/38 on establishing works councils (821Kb PDF), in order to obtain more influence on industrial and strategic decisions, defend employment and better anticipate and manage change;

• to make best use of the European company statute, which provides an opportunity to strengthen worker participation rights in multinational companies, and;

• to reinforce the role of trade union coordinators as a force to help and strengthen the functioning of EWCs and of the works councils of European Companies and as an ‘essential lever for a successful company policy coordinated at European level’.

In their joint resolution, the three federations argue in favour of a legally-binding European framework for anticipating and managing change within multinational companies. They believe such a framework would ensure that companies act in socially responsible ways when implementing and managing change, for example by promoting life-long learning policies and training for employees.

The three federations say they hope reaching agreement at European level will help harmonise working conditions from the ground up.

Joint strategy reflects new EWCs directive

This joint resolution is an outcome of a joint conference held by the three federations, Strengthening Workers’ Involvement in Multinational Companies, which brought together over 200 representatives from the organisations to discuss the recast EWCs directive, initially adopted in June 2009.

The revised version came into force in EU Member State law on 5 June 2011 and applies to all new EWC agreements and to EWC agreements signed after September 1996, referred to as ‘article 6 agreements’, if they were unchanged between June 2009 and June 2011.

The new directive amends the original directive in a number of areas. For example, it states that information given to works council representatives should be extensive, timely and in such form that an EWC can examine the content and prepare for consultation. The new directive also specifies that, regarding transnational developments, an EWC has to be informed at the same time or before the national level.

Overall, the new directive places greater emphasis on consultation and implies a move towards before-the-fact consultation. In particular, the obligation to inform an EWC dealing with transnational competencies at the same time or before the national or local level implies an increase in the status of transnational consultation.

Commentary

The drawing up of a dedicated joint strategy is an important development in the area of worker involvement, especially as these three trade union federations represent important manufacturing sectors which are all undergoing restructuring and are faced with continuous job losses.

Furthermore, EMF, EMCEF and ETUF-TCL together account for around 1,000 EWC agreements, close to half of the scope of eligible multinational companies.

The parties to the agreement state that overall, change needs to be better anticipated and managed at company level in order to ensure sustainable development and avoid negative effects on workers and employment.

They therefore call on European institutions to establish a legally-binding European framework for anticipating and managing change and which ensures that change is managed in a socially responsible way, providing guarantees to enable workers to adapt to change. The Commission is expected to respond during the course of 2011 (EU1010031I).

Michel Albertijn, Tempera