The seminar "The evolution of social dialogue in the era of the Covid 19-pandemic and digitisation" took place on 26-29 May 2022, in Caciulata, Romania. It was organized by CSDR / Departamentul Educare - Formare al CSDR (Confederaţia Sindicatelor Democratice din România / Departamentul Educare - Formare al Confederaţiei Sindicatelor Democratice din România), with the support of EZA and funded by the European Union.
For the first time since the pandemic, the seminar was held in a physically attended format. It was attended by 39 representatives of workers’ organisations from Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Spain and the Republic of Moldova.
Highlights of the seminar:
- The restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic radically changed the strategies for organising, communicating and informing union members, recruiting new union members, social dialogue, protesting in the event of industrial disputes, etc.
- There was a lack of vision and preparedness for a rapid response in crisis conditions;
- The need for a strategy including the development of secure and crisis-sensitive communication and information platforms was highlighted;
- The digitalisation of the trade union movement is becoming a necessity as almost all major actions are influenced by online activities.
Conclusions of the seminar
- The digitalisation of the trade union movement in terms of communication, consultation and rapid information of trade union members is becoming a necessity;
- The digitisation of social dialogue as an alternative in emergency situations is becoming an imperative requirement;
- It is necessary to manage labour conflicts through support, information, online mobilisation including social networks;
- Simplifying trade union consultation procedures for trade union members and social partners by using online;
- Increasing union members' access to digital technology, including adapting equipment and software to the specific needs of union activities;
- The need to establish an appropriate framework, including legislation, for the development of social dialogue in both traditional and digital formats;
- Achieving a unified framework, within the European Union, that facilitates the efficiency of social dialogue in the context of an analysis of the consequences of social dialogue in pandemics.
A visit was organised in Ocnele Mari, at the headquarters of SALROCA Federation, where the problems faced by union members of this organisation during the pandemic and the strategy adopted to face the challenges due to the imposed restrictions were discussed.