Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
A strong manufacturing base is essential for sustained economic prosperity and stability in
Europe. A longer term European strategy to secure more and better jobs and reduce
growing socio-economic inequality must be the basis of European integration in the
coming period and should underpin the Europe 2020 Strategy.
▪▪ democratic participation of workers in corporate strategies as well Confronted with the effects in Europe of the global economic and financial
as the anticipation and management of change, and crisis, workers are increasingly worried about their job security. Temporary
measures put in place in many countries and companies to protect workers
▪▪ the development of industrial relation systems and strengthening of have to a certain extent kept down the increase in unemployment, but many
collective bargaining rights. workers have seen their purchasing power collapse as a result of wage
cuts which have been enforced. Many workplaces have been destroyed
and it is unlikely that they will be recreated. Economic volatility has been
Playing a role in the metal industry involves having a longer perspective accompanied by a huge development of precarious work and extensive use
than the next four years. The basic metals, shipbuilding, ICT, machinery of subcontracting which deepens the feeling of insecurity about the future
and automotive industries require strategic thinking and investment over and threatens social cohesion by increasing inequalities.
decades. Industrial policy can only be successful when it encompasses a
long-term, sustainable approach. In this context the Europe 2020 Strategy succeeding the Lisbon Strategy,
launched in 2000, has far from fulfilled expectations. The overwhelmingly
This vision of a sustainable European economy contrasts with the reality critical view was that the Lisbon Strategy was excessively neoliberal in focus
faced by metalworkers today. Today’s workers are confronted by mutually with social aspects used as policy window-dressing, and was not transparent
intensifying crises: the aftermath of the global economic crisis, the rapid or binding enough. In order to avoid the mistakes of the Lisbon Strategy, the
pace of climate change and increasing resource scarcity, including industrial Europe 2020 strategy must be rebalanced to ensure that full employment,
raw materials, but more worryingly water and food supplies. The crisis was sustainable development and social cohesion are serious objectives, and that
2
strong social engagement is at the centre of the strategy. Furthermore, the highly conscious of the real dangers posed by nationalism and xenophobic
strategy must support and underpin the attainment of the same objectives populism.
in the rest of Europe outside the EU.
3
oppression, exorbitant prices for basic food staples, unsustainable While the immediate challenge is to support the transition ensuring
levels of unemployment (especially youth unemployment) and the lack of humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts, this must guarantee the peace and
opportunities for social improvement, despite significant national energy freedom in the region which is key to the future of Europe and Africa.
resources and wealth. The unprecedented scale of change underway along
Europe’s borders will have long-term implications for social and economic
development in Europe and outside.
From the European Commission, European Council and European ▪▪ The development of a system of economic governance for the
Parliament, the EMF demands: eurozone which promotes jobs and growth instead of austerity
based on corporate tax and wage dumping within and beyond
the eurozone
▪▪ The strengthening of social Europe, and the sustainable
manufacturing base needed to support it
Together with the European Trade Union Confederation, the EMF commits
▪▪ A reorientation of the Europe 2020 strategy to focus on quality
itself to:
employment, social cohesion and sustainable development
▪▪ A strong industrial and social strategy increasing internal EU ▪▪ The building of a diverse community-based opposition to current
demand through the single market and promoting improvements in austerity programmes, with trade unions playing the leading
purchasing power of workers to stimulate consumption, alongside role in forming this broad popular front calling for a sustainable
measures to promote new models of sustainable consumption and economic and industrial future in Europe
production
4
Ensuring a sustainable future for metal industries in Europe
Placing social and labour rights at the centre of the new global economic order
Stronger measures are needed to ensure that multinational companies developments in global trade should take place. Strengthening the internal
playing in the global market place are subject to fair social, fiscal and capacity of the European trade union organisations and building stronger
environmental standards. European external trade and investment policies channels of dialogue globally is vital in this respect.
should be a key instrument to this effect. Europe needs to improve its
collective response to the entrance of new, large economies like Brazil,
Russia, India and China to the world markets and geo-political framework.
Currently, European policy-makers and governments have underestimated
the significance of the changes afoot in corporate behaviour as a result of
the growth of the emerging economies based on state capitalism.
5
From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, ▪▪ A framework on the anticipation and management of change,
the EMF demands: which guarantees workers life-long learning creating
opportunities for professional mobility and avoiding dismissals
▪▪ Increased focus and analysis on the challenges facing European
industrial workers in the context of intensifying globalisation within
the EU institutions From employers, the EMF demands:
Without social and economic governance inside Europe: greater regional disparities - not strength in diversity
Internally European integration promised to deliver greater territorial and central to extending markets for European products and services. However,
socio-economic cohesion promoting the improvement of living and working European regional and single market policies are increasingly pitting workers
conditions. However, regional disparities and fragmentation are increasing in different regions against each other because of the imbalanced neoliberal
in Europe fuelled by the neoliberal focus of EU policies and stiff regional agenda and deteriorating working conditions.
competition for resources and FDI.
While the process of European market liberalisation has accelerated
One of the key assets of Europe should be its diversity of national and dramatically in recent years, key elements of economic policy remain outside
regional cultures and traditions. These could provide a positive competitive the EU’s mandate – notably taxation – leading to social and tax dumping.
advantage in many instances, allowing different regions to use their natural,
cultural and human resources to best effect. The European single market is
6
The unprecedented magnitude of the financial crisis and its long-lasting
impact on growth and jobs in Europe has generated debate on the
distribution of competences between the EU and its Member States in terms
of eurozone governance and financial regulation of the EU-27. So far this has
not been true for taxation policies. The persistence of the unanimity rule
in the Lisbon Treaty has cemented a status quo based on the assumption
that tax competition is acceptable in EU integration. The EMF is increasingly
concerned by the negative consequences of tax competition in Europe,
especially corporate taxation, on workers’ terms and conditions, public
budgets and long-term regional development and investment.
7
From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, ▪▪ A halt to the fragmentation and undermining of European labour
the EMF demands: law and working conditions via different instruments which
create discrimination between employment rights of specific
▪▪ Greater economic coordination between European countries to groups of workers (e.g. single permit, seasonal workers, intra-
tackle the trade imbalances within Europe and ensure that all corporate transfers, etc.)
regions are able to prosper ▪▪ Support for better implementation of the acquis communautaire
▪▪ An effective and genuine policy of co-ordination of industrial by national governments; preserving the function of the state,
initiatives and real social cohesion within the EU to make sure that in particular in relation to the justice system, addressing the
enlargement of the EU does not lead to social dumping and the problem of the informal economy and increasing anti-corruption
worsening of the social situation of millions of workers measures
▪▪ EU and national funds focused on promoting the creation of new
jobs and promoting investment in innovation and modernising From national governments, the EMF demands:
infrastructure (e.g. in the transport, energy, healthcare technologies
and ICT sectors, etc.) not relocation of existing jobs ▪▪ Better and more efficient use of EU funds for the countries’
development, in particular for the development of infrastructure
▪▪ A concrete “social progress protocol” to guarantee that labour
and industry; and assuring full transparency of the use of funds
rights are not subordinate to market freedoms
▪▪ Development of social dialogue on industrial policy including
▪▪ A rejection of all attempts to ‘opt-out’ of European social and
social aspects, addressing the lack of vision and instruments for
employment rules at a national level, and the full respect for the
industrial development
Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms throughout the EU
▪▪ Monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of law by
▪▪ The defence and the promotion of social and labour rights, including
multinational companies
a guaranteed right to strike at European level by all institutions
▪▪ A new ‘Monti II Regulation’ guaranteeing workers’ fundamental To achieve these ends, the EMF and its affiliates commit themselves to:
right to strike in the European internal market for services
▪▪ A recast of the posting of workers directive, closing loopholes and ▪▪ Fight together to ensure that Social Europe offers comparable
ensuring the full respect of collective agreements and workers’ prospects in all regions of our continent
rights
▪▪ Struggle together against any unilateral decision from companies
or governments which creates huge regional disparities
8
A sustainable industrial policy delivering full employment
European industrial and corporate competitiveness is increasingly
dependent on companies’ capacity to develop and adopt technologies and
strategies for more energy and resource efficiency. For many years, the EMF
has called for a coherent and ambitious industrial policy in Europe; a policy
able to deal with the important structural changes industry faces in the light
of globalisation and climate change.
9
From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, ▫▫ Respect collective agreements
the EMF demands: ▫▫ Secure permanent jobs
▪▪ The creation of a specific Commission Directorate-General for Industrial
Policy, and specific committees in the Council and EP ▫▫ Take over apprentices
▪▪ Pro-active, coherent and sustainable industrial policies focused on ▪▪ Sustainable, affordable and secure energy production as a basic
creating full employment, containment of site competition across pillar of a proactive and coherent EU industrial policy strategy
Europe, and managing the transformation of existing industries and the through significant investment in smart energy grids and renewable
promotion of growing industries/technologies, including: forms of electricity production
▫▫ Systematic screening of value chains by the Commission and tailor- ▪▪ Binding global EU energy efficiency targets are needed and product
made sectoral policies, involving sectoral social partners in the standards based on ‘Top-runner’ model of continual improvement
analysis ▪▪ Innovation policies based on:
▪▪ EU budgetary reform to ensure that industrial policy objectives, ▫▫ A close networking between high-tech and low-tech areas as
supporting the workers in the transition towards an energy- and well as new and traditional industries
resource-efficient model, are adequately financed, as well as new ▫▫ A broader definition including non-technological innovation (i.e.
financing measures and tools, which should be subject to social and social, organisational, and structural aspects of innovation),
environmental conditionality, including: with a new responsibility for DG Employment to carry out a
▫▫ Financial transaction tax major European campaign on the theme of employee-driven
▫▫ The possibility for the ECB to issue euro-bonds as a tool to finance social innovation
sovereign debt while reducing the spreads in public bond markets, ▫▫ Making better use of the workforce and workers’ representatives
thus decreasing the cost of capital by using the creditworthiness ▪▪ Tailored policies for energy intensive industries focused on
of the EU as a whole and to attract domestic and foreign savings improving process technologies and energy efficiency, whilst
▫▫ Strengthened European Investment Bank avoiding carbon leakage
▫▫ Measures against tax dumping and evasion ▪▪ A reliable access to raw materials: sufficient supplies, stepping-up
▪▪ The creation of an EU fund to support the workers involved in new recycling, development of substitutes
sustainable production processes ▪▪ Sectoral action plans for the key industrial sectors
▪▪ Measures to ensure that EU funds promote sustainable investment ▪▪ Development of long-term visions/strategies on the future of
including conditions on EU regional and structural funds to make manufacturing in Europe
sure that the period of commitment from companies in exchange for ▪▪ Promotion of innovative public procurement and development of
subsidies is extended from 5 to at least 10 years with an amendment of ‘lead markets’ as tools to introduce new and sustainable products
the European Transparency Initiative and services
▪▪ We need an industrial policy, which focuses on the interests and
needs of the employees and creates decent work. This means that an
From our employers, the EMF demands:
enterprise can only receive state aid or public procurement contracts if
at least it commits itself to: ▪▪ Strong commitments to European workforces through investments
in people, tools and sustainable production
▫▫ Avoid forced redundancies
▪▪ No dismissals and good solutions for all workers affected by
▫▫ Pay wages which secure a livelihood
restructuring
10
Ensuring a decent and organised future
for metalworkers in Europe
Fight against increasing precariousness at work and rising inequality
In recent decades there has been a dramatic change in the pattern of at the onset of economic recovery, precarious jobs will also be amongst the
industrial employment. A huge and deep ply worrying increase in precarious first to be offered again and, quite possibly, with even worse conditions than
work in all European countries and industrial sectors has taken place. There the ones we know today.
is an erosion of what are classified as the ‘norm’, ‘standard’ or ‘typical’ forms
of employment. This development is inacceptable for social and economic reasons.
Deregulation and extension of precarious work does not create social
Considering the endemic skills gaps in most manufacturing sectors, the loss progress by creating additional jobs. On the contrary, formally secure
of these workers and their skills poses a fundamental question about the jobs, social standards and workers’ rights are under pressure and will be
sustainability of our industries. For those still in work, acquired rights are undermined. All efforts must be made to drive back precarious jobs and to
increasingly being called into question with demands for more flexibility protect social standards for the employees.
and precarious work arrangements. As industrial plants have re-launched,
the EMF is increasingly concerned by the dramatically reduced numbers The EMF and its affiliates therefore decided to initiate the Second EMF
of workers re-employed to operate them and the increasing skills gaps Common Demand on the topic of “for more secure employment – against
emerging in several sectors. In some cases, half the number of operators and precarious work” in the coming collective bargaining rounds.
staff is on-site compared to before the crisis and the number of precarious
jobs in our industries has increased dramatically. Nevertheless, not everything can be solved by collective agreements in all
cases and the EMF cannot neglect the legal aspects closely related to this
The increase in precarious employment, encouraged by changes in legislation, topic.
destabilises labour markets and disconnects an increasing number of people
from the chance to reach a secure and adequate life protection and future The EMF supports the creation of a strong European social dialogue capable
perspective by the income of own work. The current focus of the agenda of of playing its role in European employment and social policy. Strong national
the European Commission and followed by many EU governments solely on social dialogue must also be supported and strengthened.
flexibility, without security, and their roll back strategy on labour and social
rights, will have disastrous effects on the European labour market. Young The EMF is resolutely against the neoliberal assault on collective bargaining
people, women and migrants are particularly affected by this development. and social dialogue.
These groups were undoubtedly the first victims of the economic crisis and,
11
From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, From the national governments, authorities and employers the EMF
the EMF demands: demands:
▪▪ A European employment strategy guaranteeing quality employment ▪▪ Open-ended contracts must remain the legal or collective
in our industries, labour mobility and the strengthening of the bargaining norm in the light of precarious employment
‘security’ dimensions of labour market policies
▪▪ Equal pay, equal treatment and equal rights for temporary
▪▪ A halt to the further de-regulation of labour markets throughout the
agency workers as workers in the user enterprise
EU
▪▪ Far stronger political support for the social dialogue at all levels, ▪▪ Increased investment and control powers to labour inspection
including reinforced support for capacity-building of trade unions services
and employers’ organisations in Europe
▪▪ Social policies which promote quality employment and cohesion not
working poverty
▪▪ Equal employment rights and protections for 3rd country nationals
working in the EU
Active wage policy for fair, secure deal for all workers
Rising wealth inequality and mass working poverty within and between The EMF can observe lower collective bargaining results due to the crisis.
European countries is fuelling a deep social recession in Europe. The The effective income, meaning the income which is actually paid to
excessive disproportion in pay structures between senior management and employees, has already fallen in many European countries since 2009.
their workforces has to be rebalanced (i.e. the maximum bonuses awarded This is the result of the job security measures that have been taken, which
to top management must be regulated). The share between profit and include various types of reducing working hours. This already dramatic
wages should be more fairly balanced in order to support the development trend has drastically increased since 2010 due to the plans of various
of workers’ purchasing power. European governments to freeze or cut wages. This is an attack on collective
bargaining, which we cannot accept.
12
This income development will be even more problematic due to the increasing In the face of the crisis, European collective bargaining coordination
differences between incomes in the respective European countries. becomes substantially more difficult. If, in the past, it was limited mainly by
Export orientated countries in particular have increasingly improved their negative wage developments it now encounters further difficulties because
competitive positions and by so doing have exacerbated the imbalance within of restrictions imposed by transnational organizations, such as the European
the European Union, particularly because the exports have increasingly been Commission and the International Monetary Fund. The consolidation
financed by crediting neighbouring countries, such as Greece. programmes of indebted EU countries require drastic cuts in wages and
collective bargaining autonomy. But nevertheless the European trade unions
Due to the described development of collectively agreed wages, which was still see no alternative to the coordination of European collective bargaining
lagging behind the productivity development in some European countries, policy if they want to defend the interests of workers in Europe.
and the ever stronger effective wage drop observed as of last year, the
convergence of income in Europe planned through collective bargaining Greater solidarity in collective bargaining is an essential instrument to defend
coordination has not yet been achieved. This negative wage drift was workers’ interests in the crisis and its aftermath. Collective bargaining must
created by the increasing number of precarious jobs, decreasing coverage of defend an active wage policy with the objective of a strong wage increase
collective agreements and the increasing number of deviations from existing covering the inflation rate and a balanced share of the productivity increase.
collective agreements. Collective bargaining must find working time solutions for the benefit of
workers (humanisation of work and work-life balance models), fight wage
There is a radically different socio-economic picture in South East Europe cuts and reduce the low-wage sector in Europe.
compared to Central and Western Europe. Labour costs in the region are
greatly lagging behind the average costs in Central and Western Europe.
At the same time, the cost of living has rapidly risen and the percentage of
people living in poverty has increased significantly.
From employers and their organisations, the EMF demands: To achieve these goals, the EMF will:
▪▪ Wage increase covering inflation-rate and a balanced share of the ▪▪ Continue and strengthen the EMF European wage coordination
productivity gains strategy
▪▪ No wage cuts or freezes ▪▪ Enlarge and defend the coverage rate of collectively bargained
wages
▪▪ Working time solutions guaranteeing a fair work-life balance
13
Take action to improve the quality of working life and health protection
Companies set up work organisation systems for immediate productivity These constraints can have harmful effects upon health and life expectancy.
purposes, usually without taking the employee’s well-being at work into They affect sleep patterns and the work-life balance. They are also factors of
account, without sufficient consideration for the employee’s health and occupational accidents or injuries.
without offering very much in return.
Today, human resources management is undertaken on the basis of a variety
The EMF is witnessing a de-compartmentalization of work, a dual hierarchy of standards and indicators, which mainly serve to evaluate performance
(job – project), the speeding up of communications via new technologies, etc. whilst neglecting the human factor and conceal the realities of work.
The setting of objectives is accompanied by pressure to respect deadlines, The paradox is that the emphasis is put on individual evaluation systems
the more rapid succession of projects, planning and description of best whereas it is the collective work and collective competence that prevails
practice and the monitoring of economic indicators to the detriment of the within companies.
quality of the work undertaken. The employee’s room for manoeuvre and
autonomy is diminishing and work-loads are becoming heavier and more Some activities include « industrial risks » for workers and for the environment
stressful, thus generating risks or psycho-sociological problems. linked to the type of substance used, manipulation of these substances, the
tools used, the manufacturing processes, transport or storage, pollution,
The demanding nature of work has many facets: bio-mechanical hyper- energy sources, etc.
solicitation, such as repetition of movements or a wide range of movements,
the strength exerted, prolonged static posture, carrying heavy loads leading Social dialogue should not be limited solely to remedying the negative
to fatigue and muscular-skeletal injuries (MSI), long working hours or consequences of working life. It is also necessary prior to making the
working hours that run counter to biological or social patterns such as night organisational choices which will affect working and living conditions.
work, exposure to hazardous chemical products, industrial noise, cold, high
temperatures, vibrations, etc.
14
From the European Commission, European Council and European ▪▪ To take preventive action against such hardship and hazards
Parliament, the EMF demands:
▪▪ To ensure that their demands towards their employees are
▪▪ The improvement not deregulation of the EU legal framework accompanied by the provision of appropriate means allowing
protecting workers’ health and safety, its enforcement by an employees more initiative, more responsibility and increased
efficient labour inspection and the development of independent involvement in their work. These means include, in particular:
preventive occupational health services, together ensuring that risk training, information, clear objectives, measurable targets and
assessments are fully implemented in all the workplaces with the the necessary time and opportunity to discuss concerns related
participation of the workers and their representatives to their work in order to find remedies for the difficulties and
vocational hazards
From employers and their organisations, the EMF demands:
From the ETUC, and hence ETUI, the EMF calls for:
▪▪ To protect health and safety at work and improve the quality of
working life for employees when making choices in respect of work ▪▪ A common trade union strategy on the main issues arising in
organisation systems the occupational health and safety, also considering sector/
profession specific concerns
▪▪ To ensure that work organisation and its consequences for
employees are a topic for social dialogue prior to decision-taking
Fair and secure pensions: a framework for today’s retired and tomorrow’s metalworkers
With 23 million unemployed in Europe and increasing numbers of workers old-age poverty. Decent work must be followed by decent retirement and
in precarious and low-paid jobs, the future of state pension systems has inter-generational solidarity.
been challenged by lower contributions due to the increasing social crisis
and the economic crisis, threatening to undermine the system and millions Persisting employment problems (unemployment, access to employment
with elderly poverty. and precarious working conditions) coupled with the ageing of the
population, represent extensive risks for our social protection systems in
Pension policies cannot be seen as divorced or separate from wider general. Fundamentally, the long-term sustainability of our social protection
employment policies, and solutions must be negotiated. systems is of deep concern for all European workers (health and pensions in
particular). It is important to defend the statutory pension systems while at
With supplementary pension funds at risk as a result of the near-collapse the same time continue to use other means at our disposal, like collective
of the financial markets and state pensions now in the eye of the austerity agreements, to ensure a fair retirement for our members.
storm, increasing numbers of workers are facing an uncertain retirement and
15
However, the conditions of access to our welfare systems are under attack Everyone must be covered by national social protection systems, regardless
today through government cuts and austerity measures do not always of employment contract, nationality, age or gender, ensuring that all face
guarantee equity and social cohesion. We are today faced, on the contrary, dignified retirement prospects.
with persisting inequalities and further exclusions. If we are to preserve our
welfare systems and ensure that they benefit the greatest number of persons
possible in an equitable manner, we must take action in respect of the actual
content of the reforms that are to be carried out.
From national governments and the EU institutions, the EMF demands: ▪▪ Stronger employment and anti-discrimination policies targeting
older workers, particularly those aged between the average
▪▪ A strengthening of social dialogue and negotiated solutions must retirement age and the statutory retirement age
be undertaken to ensure an inter-generational pact capable of ▪▪ Strong action against tax and social contribution avoidance
guaranteeing universal pension provision based on solidarity and
decent work, giving priority to ensuring that low-paid workers are ▪▪ Putting pressure on states to develop reliable social security
covered and pension systems, which are all the more important when
the economy, labour market and society as a whole are not
▪▪ Index-linking of statutory pensions to ensure purchasing power and functioning well
avoid elderly poverty
Taking hold of the agenda: using our information, consultation and participation rights effectively,
redefining solidarity and transnational company cooperation in favour of workers
Industrial democracy is a pillar of the European social model. The right transnational companies, thereby also strengthening their hand in local
of employees and their representatives to be involved in the decision- negotiation, and where they exist, participation processes.
making processes within companies is recognised in law and custom and
by agreement across the entire EU. European legislation seeking to close Better worker involvement in shaping the future of their companies via
the gap between national worker information, consultation and participation participation in the development of company policies should be a key
rights and those developing at the European company level (e.g. within priority of the European institutions, in order to ensure the effective exercise
the scope of the EWC Directive, the SE Directive and the European Private of information, consultation and participation rights, as well as to secure
Company Directive), has been crucial in ensuring that workers are able effective anticipation and management of change. In today’s integrated
to exert influence at the appropriate levels in today’s highly integrated, Europe, these worker involvement rights must be coordinated across the
16
local, national and European levels within companies. In order to achieve common ground. This process has taken many years to develop within the
this, workers have to be informed and consulted in due time about planned EMF and needs to be continually nurtured. The EMF’s flexible instrument
company decisions. They have to be given the possibility to express an of trade union coordination groups has proven invaluable in fostering
opinion which will be taken on board by management. Moreover, in the the involvement of and willingness to cooperate among EMF affiliates in
context of increasingly complex value chain restructuring, new forms of addressing company-level issues. Co-operation with national and local trade
information and consultation are needed within supply chains to ensure that union representatives and the companies is of high importance to the EMF.
workers dependent on the strategic decisions of main manufacturers are Direct contact is vital for both the acceptance and the strengthening of a
able to anticipate changes as well. European view and approach by workers and trade union representatives at
national, local and company level. European works councils and SE-works
Coordination of unions active in multinationals can represent a key to councils have a vital role to play in this coordination. Worker representatives
generating collective bargaining power and preventing workers being in these bodies should have strengthened rights and access to facilities.
played off against each other. It also creates the preconditions to conclude
European Framework Agreements which enable the trade unions at national There is still much to do to ensure that workers are not pitted against each
level to pool their strengths and negotiate high common standards for other by companies or politicians. The trade unions also need to strengthen
workers across Europe. Going beyond mere statements of solidarity to their day-to-day cooperation in the defence of workers’ rights and interest
taking concrete action is a painstaking process of building trust and finding across Europe.
From the European Commission, European Council and European From manufacturing employers, the EMF demands:
Parliament, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Effective and timely information and consultation, undertaken in
▪▪ Close and stringent monitoring of the actual implementation of the good faith
Information and Consultation Directive, the recast EWC Directive, the
SE Directive and the European Private Company Directive in order to ▪▪ Engagement in negotiating European framework agreements
ensure that the worker information, consultation and participation requested by trade union coordination groups
rights are fully available across the EU. This includes decisive action
by the European institutions to establish, defend, and maintain a ▪▪ Commitments and negotiations on long-term corporate
high level of workers’ rights across the EU strategies and transparent investment and social responsibility
policies
▪▪ A legal framework at European level on transnational collective
bargaining and a consistent and mandatory policy on worker ▪▪ Improved and transparent monitoring of sectoral and company
information, consultation and participation with uniform definitions economic and employment indicators to better anticipate
of these terms in all EU legislation based on the highest level industrial change, skills needs, segments of the sector at risk,
and to ensure workers have access to real information and
consultation on structural and work organisational changes
17
To achieve these ends, the EMF and its affiliates commit themselves to:
▪▪ Strengthen practical commitment to European solidarity and the development of common company strategies, especially
through the activation of ad hoc trade union coordination groups
▪▪ Work to enhance the bargaining power of local union organisations by intensifying cooperation and exchange of information
across borders
▪▪ Strategically combine rights to information, consultation and participation and trade union intervention at all levels in order
to achieve better conditions for all
18
and competence needed to find employment of a different kind quickly. The throughout the value chain are able to take advantage regardless of company
size of the changes underway in our industries as a result of the economic, size or employment contract. Particular care should be taken to ensure that
climate/energy and demographic crises demands a new approach to training all workers, including older, younger and migrant workers, have access to
and education through recruitment, retention and workforce development qualifying training opportunities.
policies. These are best delivered at sectoral level to ensure that workers
From the European Commission, European Council, European Parliament ▪▪ Legislation guaranteeing the right to participation in vocational
and national governments the EMF demands: education and training free of charge for the unemployed and for
all workers during normal working time
▪▪ More transparency and permeability between and within national
education systems
From employers at all levels, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Equal access to qualified training measures and further education,
improvement of the condition for qualified employability especially ▪▪ Maintenance and upgrading of the skills and knowledge of the
of low-skilled workers, migrants and socially disadvantaged workers entire workforce, including replacing retiring workers with new
staff and maintaining apprenticeships
▪▪ Establishing a democratic procedure, with full social partner
involvement, to[develop and implement the European Qualifications ▪▪ Inclusion of individual rights to vocational training in all collective
Framework (EQF). National Qualifications Frameworks (NQR) linked agreements and improvement of existing provisions
to the EQF must be transparent. Informal competences, such as
social and personal competences, must be recognised within the ▪▪ Increase of healthy jobs and training which allow further
EQF qualification
19
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5 (bte 10)
B -1210 Brussels
Phone: +32 (0)2.227.10.10
www.emf-fem.org