European Trade Unions in an International Conference “The Role of Trade Unions in Establishing Sustainable Growth and High-Quality Jobs” - Hoofdinhoud

On 26-27 February the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS) organised an international conference “The Role of Trade Unions in Establishing Sustainable Growth and High-Quality Jobs . This was an event organised as part of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The conference focused on labour market issues that trade unions can influence - the establishment of high-quality jobs, youth employment, and challenges related to the free movement of labour. Particular attention was devoted to the influence of the European trade union movement and the capacity of trade unions at this time.

At this time, the trade union movement is encountering an unequal and diverse set of social dialogue practices and effectiveness in EU Member States and regions. The debate at the conference led to a unified understanding of the modern trade union movement and its influence at the EU level in terms of tripartite and bipartite social dialogue. Representatives of the political leadership of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) offered a review of the influence of trade unions in the EU and its regions. Representatives of trade unions from Latvia and other Member States shared their experience and best practice in dealing with capacity challenges in their countries, improvement of the quality of services, and an increasing influence for trade unions when it comes to taking decisions at the national and EU level. The main conclusion was that as untraditional forms of labour emerge, trade unions must think about untraditional ways of increasing membership numbers and solidarity. Trade unions must not be afraid of changes.

Ms Bernadette Segol, the Secretary General of the EUTC, trade union experts, representatives of the EUROFOND, as well as representatives of employer organisations discussed factors and circumstances of high-quality jobs, the current situation with the EU2020 employment goals, and the role of trade unions in the creation of high-quality jobs.

During the conference Ms Bernadette Segol said, “European leaders are like a driver who puts his feet on the accelerator and the brakes at the same time. The EU encourages investment to create growth and jobs, but also insists on austerity, cuts and reforms that destroy growth and jobs. European governments do not seem to worry that their policies have not worked, but they will become very worried about voters abandoning them in increasing numbers. Every day they stick to the wrong road, and they get closer to driving off the cliff. Trade unions will continue to call for more investment, an end to austerity and better reforms such as more education and training and a properly implemented Youth Guarantee. 

“This LBAS conference was unique in a sense, because this was the only forum for working people during the Latvian Presidency. Labour relations are becoming more flexible today, and it is ever harder to put them into the framework of laws, which means that of the greatest importance are communications in the sense of social dialogue between employees and employers and the resulting joint labour agreement. This shows that the role and challenges of trade unions are increasing all the time,  said LBAS Chairman Pēteris Krīgers.

Ms Raita Karnīte, the LBAS expert, said that any job can be done at a high quality, and to insure that is task of the trade unions. Public understanding about the quality of jobs must be changed. EUROFOND research shows that companies that have trade unions and good social dialogue are more successful.

Participants of the conference emphasised the fact that a proper salary, job safety and the working environment are essential elements of high-quality jobs, but this cannot be discussed if there are no proper salaries. Employers said that the shortcoming in terms of high-quality jobs in Latvia is that tax regulations are improper. Tax systems must encourage employers to pay higher salaries, e.g., with differentiated untaxed minimum regulations, trade unions agree. One of the conclusions at the conference was that trade unions must work at the level of sectors, because binding and general agreements among sectors are a solution that can cover all companies, irrespective of their size.

Representatives of European trade unions shared best practices at the conference with respect to ways of facilitating youth employment. Mr Salvatore Marra, the President of the ETUC Youth Committee, offered a presentation about the situation with youth employment in the EU, the agreement of Europe’s social partners in this regard, and the way in which trade unions facilitate youth employment.

Participants agreed that it is very important to identify the needs of young workers and to represent them fully in negotiations with the European institutions, national governments and employers. Trade unions in Latvia, particularly those that work with sectors, must be active social partners with the Ministry of Education and Science so as to link education to the labour market, to work together with employers in analysing market demand, and in regulating the correspondence of education to the demand of employers. Trade unions must be mentors who lead young people into the labour process when they begin their working life. Trade unions are also required to teach young people at educational institutions and workplaces what to do in various labour situations - reacting to a demand to work unpaid overtime, facing reduced wages, encountering unjustified complaints about their work, mobbing, etc. Young people must not accept remuneration that is lower than the norm, and they must know how to defend their rights.

The conference also defined the role and activities of trade unions in dealing with labour force mobility and migration problems, focusing on support for foreign workers and on preventing discrimination. More than 3% of the EU’s labour force lives and works in other EU Member States, and though discrimination against foreign workers is enshrined in all major EU legal documents, research done by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the OECD and the European Commission shows that there is discrimination against foreign workers that leads to violations of their rights and to social dumping.

Migration is inevitable, so trade unions must be open in terms of accepting and helping migrants by adapting their services and by publishing additional information on, for example, their homepages. Other important instruments include networks for the exchange of information and experience such as the ETUC migration working group, as well as various reports and recommendations for trade unions. Experts concluded during the conference that trade unions must strengthen exchange of experience and partnerships at the international level, particularly in terms of trade unions that work with sectors. The main objective is that trade unions must help to improve the economic and social situation in various countries so as to ensure high-quality jobs and prevent that professionals emigrate.

The international conference was attended by about 150 representatives of EU Member State trade unions that are part of the European Trade Union Confederation.

The conference was supported in the framework of the ESF project “Administrative Capacity Building of the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia 2009-2015  (Project No. 1DP/1.5.2.2.1./08/IPIA/SIF/001/01).