Publications

In July 2003, a new national collective agreement was signed for the 270,000
workers in the Italian food and beverages sector. As well as providing for a
pay increase of 6.55% over two years, the agreement strengthens joint
industrial relations structures, with a new joint body in charge of training,
and introduces greater flexibility in working time and forms of employment.

A new general anti-discrimination law was adopted in Belgium in February
2003. It bans discrimination on many grounds and in various contexts,
including employment relationships. It was expected that the law would have a
major positive impact on equality at work, but has come under criticism for
being unclear and hard to apply. For example, the law's definition of the
discrimination to be prohibited is thought by some experts to be at odds with
recent EU Directives on the issue, while some of the provisions may create
difficulties in the employment context.

Since 1990, the relationships between the social partners and the state have
played an important role in the process of economic and social transformation
in Slovakia. Although the transformation process was not entirely without
conflicts during the 1990s and early 2000s, disputes between the social
partners did not result in any serious industrial action. Indeed, after
Slovakia became independent in 1993, no genuine strikes were recorded until
January-February 2003, when railway workers held two stoppages (SK0306101F
[1]). Over this period, as a result of privatisation and the development of a
market economy, the role of the state in the economy has been redefined. This
new role has manifested itself in a reduction of direct interventions by the
state authorities in the activities of individual sectors, enterprises and
plants, and in efforts to influence the economy more indirectly through the
tools of tax and fiscal policy. In the industrial relations area, the state
has restricted itself to setting the legal framework for the labour market
and social policy, including the rules for collective bargaining (SK0210102F
[2]) - though it should be noted that the state is still a significant
employer in the public services (eg education, healthcare and railways). The
main role of the state in the social dialogue which has developed in Slovakia
is the fulfilment of various tasks within the tripartite'concertation'
process, involving the employers and the employees representatives at the top
level or, in some cases, at sector level.

[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/slovakias-first-strikes-hit-railways
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/collective-bargaining-procedures-structures-and-scope

European Union heads of state and government met under the outgoing Greek
Presidency for a European Council summit meeting in Thessaloniki on 19-20
June 2003.

The Italian government took over the EU Presidency from Greece on 1 July
2003, and will hold it until the end of the year. It has set out its
programme and priorities in a document entitled Europe: Citizens of a shared
dream [1].

[1] http://www.ueitalia2003.it/NR/rdonlyres/57F9D4ED-4498-47F5-A4ED-73FE0BF965AC/0/ProgrammaPresidenza_ING.pdf

After over a year of negotiations (SI0206102F [1]), the government, trade
unions and employers' organisations signed a two-year national 'social
agreement [2] ' for 2003-5 on 22 April 2003. The agreement sets the general
direction for economic and social developments and policies until 2005, and
aims to supports balanced socio-economic development. The first such social
agreement was signed in 1996.

[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/tripartite-private-sector-pay-policy-agreement-concluded-for-2002-4
[2] http://www.gov.si/mddsz/doc/soc_sporazum_an.pdf

Practices such as delayed payment of wages and failure to make social
security contributions on employees' pay are relatively widespread among
Polish employers. The problem is not new but has recently received renewed
attention from trade unions and the media. Research conducted in May 2003 by
the Warsaw School of Economics sheds light on the nature of these unfair
employer practices, indicating that some 9% of employees do not receive their
wages on time and 17% do not have their social security contributions paid in
full. The situation is worst in smaller companies and those in private Polish
ownership.

The unemployment rate in Poland rose to 18.1% in 2002, with over 3.2 million
people registered as jobless and long-term unemployment rising rapidly.
Unemployment is becoming a major and widespread problem, no longer confined
to specific industries or regions (though significant geographical
differences persist). This article examines the situation in 2002 in detail,
and looks at the measures being used in the fight against unemployment.

The development of policies and the delivery of services to promote the social inclusion of people with a chronic physical or mental illness or disability are crucial steps in achieving a more inclusive society. This report examines how to drive this process forward.

Changes to traditional gender roles and the labour market are forcing a rethink of conventional work-life patterns. Individuals are calling for a better quality of life, while employers require greater flexibility in the workplace. The idea of reorganising time over the whole course of working is one possible response. This report offers a conceptual framework to consider time arrangements and working life, linking this to measures to improve quality of life.