Mu.M.M.I.A.

Florence, 17/18 May, 2013

IRES Emilia-Romagna

Volker Telljohann

Methodology

• Questionnaires (50)

• National meetings

• Case studies

• Interviews

Typology

• Existing EWCs

• EWCs to be established

• Agreement renewal

• Agreements to be adjusted after

restructuring/acquisitions/mergers

Possible obstacles

1) Information gathering on the group

2) Identify trade unions in representation

structures

3) Divergences among

• management and workers

• Representatives from different countries

• Trade unions (pluralism, sectors)

• Trade unions and representation structures

• Various levels (EU, national, local)

In which country do you work?

What is your role?

In case of multiple productive sites or affiliates, does a

coordination structure at a national level exist?

How would you describe the position of representation structures in the

central company offices towards the hypothesis of establishing an EWC?

How would you describe the position of the central

management towards the hypothesis of establishing an EWC?

Information for the establishment of a Snb were given by

We managed to establish a Snb after

What is/was the unionisation level of Snb members?

Were trade unionists present in the Snb as well?

Management strategies

• Management reps in non unionised countries

• Pressure on “annoying” trade unions

No evidence…

Concerning different points of view among:

• Worker reps of different countries

• Different national trade unions

• Different national sector unions

• Different European trade union federations

• Representatives from different plants

regarding SNB composition

Obstacles• True problem: obstacles are represented by the

management

• Complexity of multisectoral structure of groups

• Problem in gathering necessary information

• Non unionized plants/representativeness

• No training for SNB members

• Language, group and sector knowledge

• To be represented in a EWC, employees of a specific

sector should have a sufficient influence

• Lack of visibility of sector unions

Challenges

• Create national coordination structures

• Accurately map and create networks and

European alliances from the start, to avoid

tensions (European federations, ntional trade

unions, representation structures) (using

European fund – see Cremonini)

• Unionisation of workers (with the support of

trade unions of the country where the

headquarters are)

• Guarantee training (especially for delegates

with no experience)

Starting points

• Use the rights included in Directive

2009/38/EC (information, training, trade union

presence)

• EWC must inform national representatives

and, therefore, could contribute to

establishing coordination structures at a

national level

• Use transnational agreements to create and

develop coordination structures at an

intersectoral level

Interface mechanisms (I)

• Plan encounters of an EWC member with all

shop stewards of his country (in the various

sectors)

• Right of the EWC delegate to visit plants

present in his country

• Preparatory encounters among

representatives of different departments at a

national level to supply inputs to the EWC

delegate (Freudenberg)

• Include the right of the Select Committee to

take care of countries non represented by the

EWC

Interface mechanisms (II)• Right to create coordination bodies

(intersectoral) at a national level (Bosch)

• Right to create work groups (Bosch)

• Specific encounters at a national level (between

EWC members and national delegates) (Bosch)

• Promote through the establishment agreement

of the EWC the introduction of coorindation

bodies (intersectoral) and at a national level

(Veolia)

• National coordination structures may partially

compensate the lack of presence in EWCs

Model Agreements• Should take in account specific problems tied to

multisectoral aspect

• Focus on interface mechanisms between EWCs and

representation structures/workforce at a national level

• Intersectoral and joint coordination structures at a

national level

• Right to create work groups which include national

representatives

• Importance of liaison mechanisms between EWCs and

representation structures/workforce at a national level

Transnational coordination

• Three different starting points

• Bargaining of transnational agreements

assumes a national and transnational

coordination

• Monitoring as well could be used to

consolidate coordination structures

• Possibility to organise global meetings (Bosch)

• Create coordination bodies between different

European Federations (HP)

Conclusions

• Problems and challenges in multisectoral

groups are the same, but more complex

• More information is needed on companies

and trade unions (so that minor categories are

not forgotten)

• It's important to anticipate these problems

during the SNB establishment phase and the

negotiation for the establishment agreement

of the EWC

Conclusions

• A better use of existing rights

• Develop model agreements for multisectoral

goups (include rights regarding coordination

activities)

• Create trade union alliances at a European

level which must be based on national

coordination structures

• Develop the use of internet and intranet

(which in any case may not substitute

coordination meetings)

Translation notes: graphs

Slide 5: Belgium; France; Turkey; Spain; Italy

Slide 6: Shop steward; Member of SNB; Member of EWC; Trade unionist

Slide 7: No; If yes, is it a joint coordinaton structure; If yes, is it a coordination

Of your trade union; If yes, it is a coordinationt structure of another trade union

Slide 8: In favour; Indifferent; Against and not cooperative.

Slide 9: In favour; Just did his job; Against and not cooperative; Openly against

and resisting

Slide 10: From the management; from worker reps in the company head offices;

From national trade unions where the company... [text missing]; From European

Trade union federations

Slide 11: 1-6 months; 7-12 months; 13-24 months; more than 24 months

Slide 12: All delegates were unionised; Most of the delegates were unionised; a

Minority of delegates were unionised; no delegates were unionised

Slide 13: Yes; No