Odnosi med delodajalci in delojemalci ter socialni dialog

Ključna sporočila politike

Glavne ugotovitve iz raziskave fundacije Eurofound pomagajo oblikovalcem politik pri naslavljanju nekaterih ključnih vprašanj na tem področju.

• Na podlagi kolektivnih pogajanj imajo socialni partnerji ključno vlogo pri zagotavljanju pravične obravnave za evropske delavce ter stabilnega in predvidljivega okvira za delodajalce.
• Učinkovita kolektivna pogajanja zagotavljajo, da se lahko konkurenca med podjetji osredotoči na povečanje učinkovitosti, ne pa na izkoriščanje delovne sile, in to na podlagi skupnih pravil o plačilu in delovnih pogojih.
• Sistemi odnosov med delodajalci in delojemalci so čedalje bolj ogroženi zaradi sprememb v družbi, na trgih dela in v organizaciji dela. To predstavlja izzive glede zmogljivosti ključnih akterjev v sistemih odnosov med delodajalci in delojemalci v državah članicah.
• Ugotovitve v zvezi s plačami kažejo, da 7 od 10 delavcev z minimalno plačo v EU poroča, da vsaj deloma težko shajajo s plačo skozi mesec, v primerjavi z manj kot 5 od 10 delavcev, ki prejemajo plačo, višjo od minimalne, vendar pa se te številke močno razlikujejo med posameznimi državami. Glede na ozadje pandemije imajo lahko minimalne plače pomembno vlogo v kombinaciji politik za stabilizacijo dohodkov in s tem zahtevajo ukrepanje za boj proti nezadržnemu slabšanju razmer v recesijo ali depresijo.
• Učinkovit evropski socialni dialog je odvisen od močnih povezav z nacionalno ravnjo, zato ostaja program EU še naprej pomemben, na nacionalni ravni pa se smiselno izvajajo neodvisni sporazumi EU.
• Medtem ko so se na strani evropskega socialnega dialoga pojavile številne skupne pobude, je bilo sklenjenih tudi nekaj sporazumov. V nekaterih panogah obstaja zaskrbljenost, da so bile zahteve socialnih partnerjev po izvajanju sporazumov z evropsko zakonodajo zavrnjene in da so potrebne močnejše povezave med EU in nacionalnimi ravnmi.
• V številnih državah članicah vzbujajo skrb padajoči trendi v številu sindikatov. Manj kot eno od treh delovnih mest (z 10 delavci in več) v EU (29 %) ima zagotovljeno določeno obliko zastopanja zaposlenih. Zakonodajne zahteve so ključnega pomena za prisotnost zastopanja.
• Kolektivna pogajanja ostajajo v osrčju sistemov odnosov med delodajalci in delojemalci v EU. Oblikovalci politik bi morali izkoristiti priložnost krize zaradi covida-19, da uvedejo nove pobude za spodbujanje in krepitev kolektivnih pogajanj.
• Poleg prizadevanj socialnih partnerjev so za učinkovit socialni dialog in dobro delujoče odnose med delodajalci in delojemalci potrebni javna sredstva in podpora javnih organov. Oblikovalci politik bi morali preučiti nove oblike prenosa znanja, zagotavljanja sredstev in sodelovanja s socialnimi partnerji na ravni EU in nacionalni ravni.
• Zagotavljanje in spodbujanje pravičnih, dobro delujočih in uravnoteženih odnosov med delodajalci in delojemalci sta nujna, da se zagotovita vključujoča in trajnostna rast ter družbeni napredek v EU. Zaradi covida-19 bo za oblikovalce politik pomembno tudi vključevanje socialnih in gospodarskih razsežnosti EU, kot so določene v evropskem stebru socialnih pravic.

During 2021–2024, Eurofound will provide important insights into the challenges and prospects in the area of industrial relations and social dialogue in the EU. With a long-established expertise in this field, Eurofound explores the main developments affecting the actors, processes and key outcomes of industrial relations. It compares national systems of industrial relations, including national social dialogue and collective bargaining. Building on its EU PolicyWatch database created in 2020, Eurofound will monitor policy initiatives by governments, social partners and other actors to cushion the social and economic fallouts of the crisis, as well as to assist in the recovery efforts. Its regular reporting on pay setting, minimum wage and working time developments, as well as working life outcomes, will be ongoing.

Eurofound’s expertise supports the capacity-building of the social partners to achieve effective social dialogue, and the Agency promotes the development of the European social dialogue by looking at the representativeness of social partner organisations in different sectors to assess their eligibility to participate in social dialogue committees.

Eurofound’s research aims to assist the European institutions, national public authorities and social partners at various levels to address the challenges facing the EU and at national level in the areas of policy formation, social dialogue, collective bargaining and the regulation of employment relations.

The Agency’s work programme is aligned with the European Commission’s political guidelines over the next four years, directly feeding into a number of key policy areas aimed at creating a strong social Europe. In particular, Eurofound will support the policy initiatives under the European Pillar of Social Rights linked to social dialogue and the involvement of workers, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific findings will be available to inform the European policy debate on minimum wages and pay transparency, as well as on working time. In consultation with the European Commission, Eurofound will continue its focused work on European social dialogue through its series of representativeness studies in selected sectors.

• European Commission: Priorities 2019–2024: An economy that works for people
• European Commission: Priorities 2019–2024: A new push for European democracy

In 2024, Eurofound continues its national monitoring of trends and developments in industrial relations, social dialogue, collective bargaining and working life regulations and outcomes. 

To support European social dialogue, in 2024 the Agency plans to publish studies on the representativeness of social partner organisations in six sectors: construction, extractive industries, chemical sector, road transport including urban public transport, postal and courier services, and graphical industries. In addition, studies are ongoing on the following sectors: agriculture, temporary agency work, ports, maritime transport, tanning and leather, footwear, sugar, inland waterway transport, central government administration, railways and commerce. Eurofound continues its work on initiatives to support capacity building for effective social dialogue. In 2024, the Agency launches a new phase of Tripartite Exchange Seminars in collaboration with the European Training Foundation, Cedefop and the European Environment Agency.

Eurofound carries out its annual exercise of examining the involvement of national social partners in policymaking, in the context of the European Semester process and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which in 2024 includes findings on the role of tripartite discussions held in Economic and Social Councils in Member States having such bodies. The contribution made by sectoral social partners to the implementation of reforms and investments included in the Recovery and Resilience Plans is also analysed, looking at policy processes that link European and national policy agendas. 

Eurofound’s EU PolicyWatch database continues to capture relevant policy initiatives by governments, social partners and other actors, including those taken to mitigate the socioeconomic consequences of the war in Ukraine, as well as those related to the twin transition.

Work on outcomes in collective bargaining agreements beyond the topic of pay concludes in 2024 and the results and dataset are planned for 2025. Research also concludes on how larger increases in statutory minimum wages affect collective bargaining and collectively agreed wages for low-paid groups. 

Eurofound collaborates with the European Institute for Gender Equality in 2024 to investigate further experiences with the implementation of gender pay transparency measures, with a focus also on those Member States that have recently introduced new legislation, and how the ‘work of equal value principle’ is defined and implemented.

The annual reviews on minimum wages and on working time in the EU continue in 2024. The working life country profiles are also being updated. The ongoing monitoring of industrial relations systems includes regular updates to the European Industrial Relations Dictionary.

• Resource: EU PolicyWatch
• Pilot: Minimum wages pilot project
• Resource: European Industrial Relations Dictionary