The meeting focused on the challenges faced by trade unions in Central and Eastern European countries, with a particular emphasis on the role of collective bargaining revitalisation in the context of the Minimum Wage Directive. The starting point for the discussion was the presentation of the main findings of a comparative report on the collective bargaining developments in 12 Central and Eastern European countries authored by Sławomir Adamczyk, which was elaborated as part of the CEECAW project.
The report was commented on during two consecutive panel discussions. The first one – moderated by Jan Czarzasty – consisted of academic experts presenting various European perspectives – mostly from the Western European Countries to juxtapose them with the Eastern European industrial relations systems. The following disputants intervened:
• Jenny Julén Votinius Lund University, Sweden
• Jose Maria Miranda Boto , University of Santiago di Compostela, Spain
• Christophe Teissier, Ultra Laborans, France
• Tamás Gyulavári, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary
The second panel – moderated by Dominik Owczarek – presented the perspectives of trade unions from the Central European Region
• Natalja Preisa, LBAS, Latvia
• Bence Havas, MASZSZ, Hungary
• Emil Antonov, Podkrepa, Bulgaria
• Andrzej Kuchta, NSZZ Solidarność, Poland
• Paweł Śmigielski, OPZZ, Poland
Final comments were made by Tea Jarc, Confederal Secretary, ETUC and Miloš Vlaisavljević, Policy Officer, EPSU. The closing session was moderated by the main researcher in the CEECAW project – Barbara Surdykowska.
Despite gloomy picture of the current state of collective bargaining in Central Easter Europe and uncertainty related to the awaited ruling of the CJEU on the Minimum Wage Directive, some conclusions were made on how to improve collective bargaining in the region:
• More pressure should be put on the decision-makers to introduce collective bargaining in the public sector which could have a ‘snowball effect’ in the private sector as well. According to the studies, the key factor for development of collective bargaining coverage is an active role of public policies (not necessarily high trade union density).
• Developing an effective and functional mechanism for extending existing sectoral collective agreements. In some countries, sectoral level of collective bargaining should be established.
• Introducing an incentive system for employers in case of their involvement in sectoral collective agreement.
• Promoting collective bargaining ie. by launching a media campaign (especially on social media) to highlight the benefits of collective bargaining for workers.
The video relation from the webinar might be watched
here.
In the near future, as part of the CEECAW project, three sectoral webinars on working conditions and collective bargaining are planned in the public administration, care and waste management sectors:
- 19 May - Collective Bargaining in Central Public Administration of CEE under the Shadow of the Policrysis (organised by the LSMC - Lithuania)
- 11 June - Unionised green jobs and collective bargaining in the waste management sector in the CEE (organised by the IPS-BAS - Bulgaria)
- 23 June organised by CELSI -Slovakia.
More about the project Source of funding: DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
