From 25th to 27th March 2021 took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, a seminar about “The better implementation of core labour standards as a path to ensure decent work in Western Balkans”. The seminar war part of the EZA special project for workers’ organisations in the Western Balkans and was organized by Podkrepa in cooperation with EZA and with the support of the European Union.
37 representatives of workers’ organisations participated in the seminar in Sofia, 19 persons participated online. The participants came from Bulgaria, Germany, France, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania.
Objectives of the seminar
- Reinforce the capacity of trade union organizations from WB with regard their more effective participation in the EU accession processes and to be in position to enjoy stronger presence and greater influence in the national decision-making process.
- Identify main challenges, faced by social actors in WB countries, which are limiting the effective implementation of the ILO core labour standards.
- To exchange on the importance of a better enforcement of labour standards for improvement of the situation of working people in the region.
- Sum-up recommendations and tools to be used by the social stakeholders to strengthen the protection of employee rights, to improve the enforcement of Labour Laws, including the International ones.
- Increase public awareness on the role of workers` participation and involvement in the creation of better working conditions and quality workplaces for all, with a special focus on the pandemic and the post-pandemic recovery.
Description of the seminar
The working program was planned as a mix between academic speeches, key-note presentations and national interventions, combined with round-table discussions, as follows:
- opening session with key note messages on the EU integration and the policy response to the COVID-19 emergency;
- academic lecture on the necessity for a renewed long-term focus and some innovative thinking, to address the post pandemic era and to strengthen the missing EU social agenda;
- four expert’s presentations: Recent development of social dialogue in Balkan countries; The ILO decent work concept; on the main outcomes from EZA’s special project for workers’ organizations in Western Balkans and on the policies` orientation of trade union actions after the pandemic.
- two modules with national presentations from the participating trade unions on the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining for the real enforcement of the ILO core labour standards
- academic speech “The Western Balkans in the EU: where if not there?”
- round table “Key features of a successful awareness raising campaign”
- brainstorming session „Working in the post-COVID era: what skills and competences for the future”;
- Individual interventions, summary and conclusions
Key ideas
- The WB region has lost a lot of time and enthusiasm in the process of EU accession. The great expectations of those countries for membership in the near future have not been met and the current political situation shows that they will be not able to integrate to the EU soon. Of course, the gradual approach of the WB countries to the EU must be based on dialogue and cooperation, but the persistent lack of genuine culture for dialogue, of democratic institutions, political will and structural reforms is continuing to block their integration process.
- Social dialogue is in place, but in practice it is still underdeveloped and ineffective. Social dialogue is a priority for politicians only before electoral campaigns. Consultations at national level are formal, even non-existing. Trade unions from the region are continuing to lose membership, fact that erodes their influence and power in negotiations. Sectoral level of social dialogue is the most problematic and that is due mainly to the fragmentation of trade union organizations. Another very serious problem is the impossibility to attract young members. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many employers to remote work arrangements. However, policy measures to develop and implement effective teleworking arrangements have not been on the agenda of social partners. In that sense trade unions were not in the position to deliver appropriate solutions – especially for young workers.
- Over the last years Western Balkans countries encountered several positive economic trends, but the COVID-19 pandemic reverses them. Similar to all working people, those from Western Balkans were on the frontline of the response to the COVID-19. The workload they faced was immense, at the same time legal regulations related to teleworking, to the additional paid leave, to the extra time at duty, the social distancing and hygiene measures were often not enforced properly. In addition, workers in the low-wage sectors have been hit disproportionately hard by the economic and social fall out of the pandemic, as those who worked from home suffered from lack of legal regulations of their employment relation, exposed on burn-out – their work- life balance is highly problematic. In that complex situation trade unions didn’t succeed to provide the necessity support to workers – that was basically because of the emergency situation and of the sanitary restrictions, which limited the direct contacts with members. Now is the right time for trade unions from the region to start discussing the content of the recovery plans – to ensure improvements for workers and to negotiate health and safe working conditions. Here, the formal dialogue will be not sufficient – real consultation and involvement of social actors is a must. The only way to come out of this situation is to overcome quickly the two already mentioned challenges /with the membership and the fragmentation/ and to show solidarity, expertise and real engagement towards the situation of working people. Because the solidarity and the support are the only antidote to employers’ attacks to take advantage from the pandemic and to limit workers‘ rights.
- Democratic citizenship requires participation – trade unions from WB must start an open dialogue and through anticipation, expertise and political position to participate effectively in the implementation of measures to shape the societal mega-trends: such as the digital transformation, the greening and the ageing of the population. That may not be done without a radical shift in the trade unions methods for communications and for actions – to use alternative channels, to organise hybrid events, to look for new partners to bring to working people real results and effective support. Here they are three key words to be implied in that new philosophy for social partnership: Diplomacy, Dialogue and Competences.
Conclusions and recommendations
- EU has not a strategic vision for the WB region – the integration may not be regarded as a technical issue. The EU perspective of WB countries is a challenging commitment to the political elite, but to the ordinary citizens is mostly a great expectation. Here comes obvious the existing separation in the basic perceptions: for the EU and the WB elite – integration is a geopolitical question, at the same time for the citizens – it’s a question of increased opportunities and more security. Without any doubt, such a dual perception is eroding the public support to the process and even to the future of the EU.
- Problems, faced by trade unions from WB are persisting for long time – practically real advancement to solve the fragmentation, the lack of representativeness and capacity to maintain appropriate level of social dialogue are far to be achieved. Thus, trade unions from the region have still little to offer to their members – missing are the sectoral level of negotiation and the unionization of young people at a very low level. In that respect to maintain the exchange and support between workers organization from the region is crucial.
- The pandemic will remain for a long period at the top of trade unions’ agenda. The COVID-19 crisis will be deeper than the global financial crisis of 2008, as it threatens to leave a burdensome legacy to future generations. And there are the aggravating circumstance of challenges as pressing as climate change and demographic imbalance. In those difficult times, trade unions should have the courage to stand-up and defend working people – as one of the main social actors they should to commit to sound and effective implementation policies to deliver practical results and real improvement of standards of living. The post pandemic recovery should work for the ordinary citizens, not for politicians. Europe may not permit a region to stay poor – in Western Balkans the focus obligatory must be on people – the most vulnerable, low-wage workers – that means wage support, insurance, social protection, preventing job losses. This must go hand in hand with a broader reflection on how to build more democratic society with more inclusive social and economic model in the countries from the region. In that respect, the gaps that still exist, where too often social partners are not involved, or consulted very poorly and just formally; while social dialogue, collective bargaining and workplace democracy are neglected must be urgently addressed. Because the social dialogue’s importance must not be limited only to times of crisis. Effective Social Dialogue is needed for a fair and sustainable recovery too.
- To get ready for our new reality post-Covid-19, trade unions need to be open and more transparent such determination, strength and open conversation will require to re-think how trade unions interact with one another and with society at large, as well to establish new pattern, that expects all trade union members to participate at all levels of social engagement.
- Getting more young people is a key element of the trade union revitalization - recruitment in an early stage, in vocational schools and at universities, during the transition from school to work, requires that trade unions introduce special membership programs or implement new, Internet-based forms of engagement, including specific projects, voting rights in elections, careers advice. All of this requires new thinking and experimenting different “hybrid forms” of interventions, as well revitalization involves cooperation and alliances with other social organizations and social forces, supportive institutions and governments.