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Restore democracy at work: fighting for better jobs, strong collective bargaining and enforceable workers’ rights

From 29th to 31st October 2020 took place in Sofia / Bulgaria a seminar about „Restore democracy at work: fighting for better jobs, strong collective bargaining and enforceable workers’ rights”, organized by PODKREPA (Confederation of Labour PODKREPA), with the support of EZA and of the European Union. 43 representatives of workers’ organizations from Bulgaria, Germany, France, Romania participated in the seminar.

The seminar’s objective

  1. Discuss workplace democracy and solidarity in the context of largest societal challenges, part of a broader approach for more Social Europe.
  2. Sum-up proposals for trade union’s initiatives and actions ton push for more democracy at workplace.
  3. Map the current state and exchange on trade union policies and tools to counter the immediate negative impact of the Coronavirus crisis on the labour force,
  4. Reflect on practical initiatives to promote stronger involvement of workers within their organisations for a greater influence in social dialogue and collective negotiations, providing for decent wages, security, safe and healthy workplaces.
  5. Plan ahead concrete policies, that really will guarantee the effective enforcement of workers’ rights to be informed, consulted and to participate in companies and public administrations decision-making before any envisaged decision that may impact jobs, income and working conditions is adopted.

Seminar’s work program was organized as follows:

- opening session with key interventions on democracy and social justice as core values in political and in an economic context;

- academic lecture on democracy and solidarity at workplace and the right to association and free expression in Bulgaria;

-  presentation of PODKREPA CL good practice, related with the implementation of a project in support of the adaptability of employees and enterprises to the changing economic environment;

- two modules with national reports from participating countries on social dialogue and on the participation of workers' organizations in the decision-making process, followed by Q&A sessions;

- presentation on the COVID 19 pandemic’s hits to labour markets and the effectiveness of Bulgaria’s effort to ensure health and safety at working conditions;

 - round table “The active and well-structured social dialogue: a prerequisite for more rights at the workplace”;

- Individual interventions, summary and conclusions.

Key ideas

- The fight for more participation rights for workers and their representatives, in short: the fight for more direct democracy should be placed in the core of trade unions’ activities. Many EU member countries have developed fair rights to information and consultation and a significant number have workers’ representation on company boards. In those countries, the active involvement of trade unionists and workers’ representatives contributes to economic success and employment stability.

- Nowadays, challenges for trade unions are related not only with the globalization and the erosion of typical employment, but also with the weakening links with political parties and their projects. respectively, the democracy at work has been limited by the. lack of consultation and the increasing centralization of decision-making at all levels.

- Internal solidarity is at the very heart of trade union actions, but it’s necessary to build solidarity among the core of the labour force /workers with permanent contract, with regular social protection/ and its periphery /people with unsecure, platform, part-time, illegal, seasonal working relation/. More and effective rights for all employed people can be safeguarded only through effective workers’ representation.

-Trade unions should initiate and propose juridical amendments in support of the strengthening the flawed and limited legal framework on democracy at work, on the minimal salary and on restructuring. Here, most important is to put forward the necessary actions to ensure that workers’ information and consultation rights are respected both at national and transnational level. Second, the unclear definition of many categories of workers must be overcome by introducing arrangements that fit to the reality of those employees, while possible to integrate them to the trade unions’ structures.

-Addressing the trust deficit in social dialogue structures /for example “the empty shells/ and outcomes require a seismic shift in trade unions’ politics and manner to interact with the large public.

- Social dialogue differs from other ways of governing labour relations - it creates tangible outputs, achieved through negotiations, representation and cooperation. In that respect - effective social dialogue is the prove of presence of one democratic society.

Conclusions and recommendations

- The time for urgent actions is now: the COVID-19 crisis revealed how fragile and unsecure the systems, we have created so far are. So, it’s time, for every politician, legislator, business, workers organization to take responsibility and to contribute to a more democratic and participatory working life.

- COVID-19 revealed the global rift-lines between labour and capital - fundamental right of Democracy at work has to be enforced now more than ever. More Democracy at work is a must - as workers bear the massive social and economic consequences brought by the pandemic. In that respect the post pandemic recovery can only be achieved in a democratic manner with labour force having a say and being effectively involved.

- A huge danger for more democratic labour and industrial relations are the so the rapid growth in the proportion of digital’ workers. For them, workers’ representation cannot be organized. The physical distance, separation and isolation are just some of the problems. The giant variations in working conditions, working contracts, labour law and remuneration are the problems. New tactics are needed to organize these workers, new ways of making trade unions attractive and visible for them.

- More deep Involvement in collective bargaining should to be a key priority in every trade union. Effective participation can be acquired throughout: establishment of new organizing culture; allocation of more resources; train the members of the negotiating team; build organizing campaigns, cooperate and coordinate, not compete with those workers, who are not affiliated to the trade union.

- In membership and competences are based the powers of workers’ organizations: strong and credible actors in negotiations and dialogue. Another important component of trade unions’ strength is the capacity to mobilize for collective action and to put to pressure for employment rights. Thus, informational campaigns, mobilization, legal strategies and collective actions – all those elements must be applied in coherence for the achievement of more democracy at work.

- For an effective participation in the social dialogue, trade unions should to pay more attention to the preparation of negotiating teams – here important is to increase the economic am juridical knowledge or when possible, to involve exerts. Second, the communication of social dialogue outcomes must be improved at an extend in which every employee to became familiar with the rights and payments, that have been acquired.

- The current pandemic should be regarded by trade unions as wake-up call to go on offensive for a new social contract, that will, with greater sense of compassion and solidarity, better value, protect and compensate working people.