From 16 to 18 February 2023 took place in Chisinau, Moldova, a seminar about “A more inclusive labour market through social dialogue and the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights”, organised by IFES (Institutul de Formare Economică şi Socială) in cooperation with EZA and financed by the European Union.
The implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights is a long and continue process. Since the Stockholm Summit (2017) and until now, a series of planning documents have been adopted to put the 20 principles of the EPSR into practice. When we talk about an inclusive labour market we consider a variety of situations: people with disabilities, NEET’s, minorities, emigrants, gender discrimination, etc. The field is legally regulated in an almost complete manner in each of the Member States. And yet cases of discrimination in the labor market are reported daily. And the reported cases seem to be only part of the actual number of cases.
The project aimed to analyze the reasons why, despite an existing complete legal framework, such cases still occur. Which are the legal, cultural or behavioral factors that prevent our societies from having a correct attitude towards these categories of people. How effective is social dialogue in this area? What are the tools and practices that need to be changed or added in order for the labor market in our countries to be truly inclusive and non-discriminatory?
The implemenation of the project was made in Republic of Moldova, which is a neighbor country of the European Union area and since June 2022 a candidate to the accesion to European Union. The seminar allowed to large number of Moldovan trade union representatives to unerstand the meaning of the European Pillar of the Social Rights and the content of the inclusivity on the labor market problem.
The venue of the seminar was again special because the proximity of the war in a country with a democratic society under construction.
Inclusive labour market, non-discrimintion and equal opportunities are themes established at the European level. Each Member State faces at least with a few cases of discrimination, violence, racism on the labour market. The current regulatory framework gave the impression that it was operating at an acceptable level. But, the war and economic crisis are affecting the way in which some citizens are going to act in the (near) future.
Through social dialogue and implementation of the EPSR it will be possible to put in operation ways to prevent or to react in front of this kind of violation of the EU (and human) rights. In the face of these realities, social dialogue at national and European level will have to address the two issues as a matter of priority.
The seminar had 47 participants, representatives of workers’ organisations from Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Republic of Moldava and Romania.
The topics considered during the seminar were:
-The labor market, inclusivity and the position of social partners
-Labor market. Evolution and specificities in the Republic of Moldova - Vulnerability and vulnerable groups on the labour market.
-Collaboration with non-governmental organizations for a more inclusive labour
-Market Inclusivity on the labour market
-Inclusivity on the Portugues labour market
-Inclusion, non-discrimination policies, non-violence in broad lines and in the workplace in the Republic of Moldova
-What role do unions play in ensuring an inclusive labour market?
-Reports from France, Republic of Moldavia, Spain, Lithuania, Cyprus, Romania
-Functioning and organization of the Moldovan National Commission for Consultations and Collective Negotiation
-The Labour Institute as a key element of the trade union educational system.
-The European Pillar of Social Rights. Status of affairs in terms of delivery and perspectives
-Sustainable inclusion on the labour market of the future
Another very interesting moment of the seminar was the panel dealing with an important topic: What can and cannot be achieved through social dialogue? It was the ending moment of the seminar. All the participants were invited to share their conclusive considerations.
Some thoughts coming up:
-The workers shall be informed about the legal framework and about their rights;
-All kinds of exclusion has to be considered and fight against;
-All the exclusion situations must be reported and the trade unions has a role to play
-The updating of the legal framework shall be kept in the attention of the trade unions. The members must be listened and conclusion shall be pushed on the politics desk.
-The modern communication means shall be used in order to keep the contacts with the workers/members.