Implementation of European social partners framework agreement on digitalisation and support for Social Dialogue
The European social partner organisations at cross-industry level, ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe, and SMEunited, have resolved to continue their joint project activities and build upon the outcomes of the previous Integrated Projects. The Integrated Projects (IP) of the European Social Dialogue (EUSD) have provided the European social partners with an important tool to promote and reinforce the link between social dialogue at national and European level, as well as to address emerging issues which are of joint relevance.
In the past, the Integrated Projects have supported the implementation and follow-up of European social dialogue instruments and capacity-building of social partners, with activities which have been established as a cornerstone of how we can better link social dialogue at the European and national level.
In previous IP activities the European social partners have focused on themes for which they see an added value of jointly addressing through project work, including those that they commit to in the framework of their autonomous work programme. In recent years such thematic focus has covered, among other issues, apprenticeships, the European Social Fund and employee training, circular economy and skills and innovation.
The main project activity this time will be promoting and supporting implementation of the European social partners autonomous framework agreement on digitalisation. This will include the development of a digital tool, including a repository of examples from members at all levels, as well as country visits, cluster seminars and a final conference.
Taking into account that the European social partners will shortly (in 2021) start negotiations towards their next autonomous social dialogue work programme, we also foresee space for seminars to implement the work programme. In addition, due to the important role that social partners have played in mitigating the negative impacts of the COVID crisis and in the recovery, we will organise a seminar on this topic.
Methodology
- Promotion and support of the implementation of European social partners framework agreement on digitalisation
Approach
- To develop a digital tool which supports social partners at different levels to implement the autonomous framework agreement on digitalisation in a partnership approach.
- To organise country visits and exchanges between social partners from different countries, to promote the agreement; to raise awareness and improve understanding of employers, workers and their representatives of the opportunities and challenges in the world of work resulting from the digital transformation; to facilitate learning between social partners; and to support national social partners implementing the agreement, where necessary, taking into account national economic and social realities and industrial relations practices.
- To develop a repository of examples of existing initiatives, practices and collective agreements to provide inspiration for implementing the agreement and make visible/promote them to a wider audience. The examples will be published on the online tool.
- To promote and disseminate the online tool at a final conference
This is a suitable approach, as it is based on a mixture of activities, which allow for practical support as well as exchanges between member federations, which are a good way to facilitate learning and discussion.
- Dedicated activities on Social Dialogue
Approach
- Organisation of seminars for implementation of forthcoming social dialogue work programme
- Address the role of Role of social dialogue in COVID crisis and recovery
- Facilitate the meetings of the Subgroup of the Social Dialogue Committee on implementation and follow-up of European social dialogue instruments
- Separately managed trade union activities, in the form of on-demand seminars to facilitate the preparation and full involvement of trade unions int the project activities as well as in the implementation of the next work programme of the European Social Partners.