HAPPINESS AT WORK

Ms.Arletta Bentzen, Chief Happiness Officer, speaking to the seminar audience.

Who thinks of trade unions, does not immediately think of happiness at work. Instead, unions are often in the news with discontent like protests, demonstrations and strikes for higher wages or pensions. Trade unions are quite materialistic oriented on salary and wage increase and only after this of course on the secondary employment conditions like work environment, safety and health as a basis for employee satisfaction. About happiness at work trade unions speak seldom or never.

Yet there was last week a European seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark with the theme "Happiness at work". The seminar was sponsored by the European Commission through EZA and organized and sponsored by the Danish Confederationof Trade Krifa and the international trade union federation WOW. The program featured a variety of speakers from different European countries that shed light on the topic from different angles.

Mr.Prof. Ir. Jan Van Peteghem (left) and Rolf Weber, treasurer of WOW

Professor Jan van Peteghem of the University of Leuven, Belgium laid a solid foundation for the seminar with his review of literature and research on job satisfaction. A for trade unions interesting note was the conclusion that there is but to some extent a direct link between wage and job satisfaction. Once a certain wage level has been reached than the happiness curve flattens rapidly. More wage contributes not necessarily to more job satisfaction. Apparently, there are also important other factors that determine job satisfaction.

Mr. Willem Jelle Berg, member of CNV Board.

CNV board member Willem Jelle Berg of the Dutch trade union confederation CNV then spoke about the experiences with this theme. For the CNV, which was founded about 100 years ago, work has always meant more than just making money. People need recognition and respect for their work, look for professional pride, they want individual responsibility and the opportunity for personal development. Work is the way by which you participate in the community, from your family until your neighborhood, from your city until your country and eventually the world community. An unemployed person feels quickly useless or redundant. Incidentally, work also means volunteering, caring for his family and household work. The CNV has campaigned against factors that stand in the way of happiness at work, such as bullying at work and the ever-increasing stress at work as a result of globalization.

Mr. Soren Fibiger Olesen, President Krifa speaking about the mission statement of Krifa.

Krifa president Soren Fibiger Olesen confirms that for KRIFA as a Christian trade union "job satisfaction" is a central theme. KRIFA wants to help increase the happiness of employees at their workplace. But the question is how to do this in practice? To get an answer on this question, KRIFA launched with two renowned Danish research institutions an extensive investigation. The goal was the composition of a job satisfaction index 2015. The how, what and where of the research was explained at the seminar by the KRIFA communications consultant Mikkel Hundborg. In plain language, he told us about the design of the study, the different variants that play a role in happiness at work, the research literature and the (statistical) elaboration of the data. The results of the research are published in a brochure entitled 'Job Satisfaction Index 2015 What drives job satisfaction? "

In the study, six factors are identified that affect happiness at work: the purpose of your work, leadership, influence, the work-life balance and colleagues. I think all of us recognize those factors and finds them appropriate also to him or herself. The trick is to measure to what extent these factors weight on the total package. A few results are interesting to mention here.

Some exercise made by the participants of the seminar to promote 'happiness at work'.

First, participants were asked what factors they found for themselves important for happiness at work. In order of importance: purpose of the work, colleagues, influence outcomes, leadership and the balance between life and work. After analyzing the questions asked, this ranking proved to be wrong. Indeed, the most important factor for happiness at work is the purpose of work.

“The belief that your work has purpose has a strong positive correlation with job satisfaction. In fact, the study shows it is the factor that affects well-being at work at most.”

Based on the results of the research, leadership appeared to be the number 2 important factor and not as was said earlier, namely colleagues.

“Leadership significantly affects job satisfaction – and far more tha employees realize.”

Workers want a pat on the back from their boss and does he listen to you? The following factors weighing on the balance happiness at work in order of importance: a balance between work and life, influence and results of your work (achievements). Surprising was that the behavior of colleagues eventually appeared as the last one of importance for the total score on satisfaction.

Participants from Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia listening attentive to one of the speakers at the seminar.

One of the results of the workshops was that some European trade unions have not yet arrived to put this item on their policy agenda for their members, for employers and governments. Some participants, mainly from Central and Eastern Europe, suggested that for their country happiness at work is a luxury because of lack of jobs (unemployment), low wages and poor working conditions. Governments and employers even don't take health and safety as an equally serious question. Because of globalisation employers want above all minimize labor costs.

The answer to this is that health and safety issues also were not always important for the trade union movement but forced by circumstances they were put on the trade union agenda. Now safety and health at the workplace are regulated by legislation and each employer must have an eye for the health and safety of its employees. Additionally, satisfied employees are more productive and more creative allowing the company to produce more than other companies and function better. In short, also from a cost-benefit point of view, for the employer happiness at work is a good thing. But even without these positive side an employer must consider that employees are much more than just money.

Mr. Ing.Mag. Heimo Pilko, Work psychologist and Safety Engineer.

The Austrian psychologist and occupational safety engineer Heimo Pilko told us about practical possibilities in a company to manage the socio-psychological risks of a job. How urgently such control is required, was recently tragically demonstrated by the suicide accident caused by a co-pilot of the airline Germanwings. To understand and decrease the stress risks at work with a potentially negative socio-psychological impact, an evaluation scheme has been developed, on basis of which can be judged by the employer and employee how great these risks are.

The Spanish delegation at the seminar.

How far can you go with the promotion of happiness at work? Arletta Bentzen, Chief Happiness Officer has no doubts that happiness at work will increasingly become important for responsible business. The company where she works at national and international level, focusses on possible techniques to increase happiness at work. She looks to the personal emotions of the employee's, the mutual interaction between employees and the interaction between board, management and employees. On the website of Woohooinc.com you can find tips and instructions for increasing happiness at work. 

THE DOWNFALL OF THE WCL 44 ( about Leo Tindemans)

From left to right: Leo Tindemans (Minister President of Belgium and President of the Christian Democratic People's Part EPP), Heiner Geissler (Secretary general of the German Christian democratic Party CDU) and Helmut Kohl (President of the CDU) during the first Congress of the EPP in Brussels in 1978.

Leo Tindemans recently deceased on December 26 at the age of 92. He has been twice Belgian prime minister (1974-1978). In the European elections of 1979 he received the highest number of preferential votes ever reached in the history of Belgium. From 1976 to 1986 he was chairman of the Christian Democratic European People's Party EPP. For ten years he was also a member of the European Parliament (1989 -1999).

What the Belgian and European Christian democratic politician Leo Tindemans has to do with the history of the WCL? Nothing really, but that's precisely the problem. Before the WCL Congress in Mauritius (1993), I contacted Tindemans - as requested by WCL General Secretary Carlos Custer- to ask him if he wanted to held a speech on the WCL seminar prior to the WCL Congress about the role and significance of the European Union for European workers and for the World in general. Also, the question was whether he wanted to support the WCL in obtaining European funds for the seminar in order to reduce the cost of the Congress.

State Funeral of the Belgian Politician Leo Tindemans on January 3, 2015 in Edegem, a village not far from the city of Antwerp.

I was surprised how easy it was to make an appointment with Tindemans. We had a pleasant conversation which showed that he wanted to cooperate with the WCL. I was glad with this result. This could be the start of the kind of work that by many people of the WCL was expected I would do after I was appointed as Confederal Secretary of WCL, namely to organize political and financial support for the WCL on European level. But when ACV / CSC chairman Willy Peirens, also WCL president, heard about these plans, to my surprise, he wanted to know nothing of further contacts with Tindemans. According to his staff (Peirens himself never talked with me about this) because in the past the ACV/CSC had several conflicts with him.

I believe this was an irrelevant argument because I did not speak Tindemans as a Belgian politician but as a very important European politician of a country that at that time also had the presidency of the European Union. Moreover, since when unions do not want to meet politicians with whom they have conflicts? Such an attitude destroys all possibilities of a social dialogue.

Apparently my arguments did not convince him. The ACV/CSC wanted no more contacts with Belgian politicians who played a role on European level. When later on also cooperation between WCL and EZA (Europäisch Zentrum Arbeitnehmer - European Center for Workers), which offers European subsidies for European seminars for workers, was blocked by the WCL President, it became clear to me that the WCL was cut off from every kind of political and financial support of the European Union. About why I had no idea. In the case of EZA this was very special and certainly remarkable because at that time CNV former General Secretary Arie Hordijk, a staunch ally of the WCL, was elected chairman of the EZA. Moreover, the ACW (the general Christian workers association of which ACV / CSC is the main organization) was a member of EZA and as such represented in the Executive Committee of EZA.

Why then this blockade? Had it something to do with my position at the WCL? Indeed, the ACV/ CSC had voted against my appointment to WCL Confederal Secretary on the WCL Executive Committee meeting in Gdansk, Poland (1991). Or was it possible that the ACV had made (secret) agreements about EZA and Europe with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)? It was well known that the ETUC opposed strongly the EZA, because in their view EZA received European subsidies that belonged to the ETUC. Or was it a political conflict because EZA was founded by Christian Democrats and as such was supported by the European Christian Democratic Party (EPP of which Leo Tindemans was an important member) while the ETUC majority was socialist oriented?Or was it possible that the ACV / CSC was blackmailed by ETUC that once the WCL would dare to interfere in European politics, Willy Peirens would lose his position as one of the directors of the ETUC?

Even more remarkable is that with the arrival of Willy Thys as Secretary General of the WCL, suddenly collaboration with the EZA was possible. Why this radical change in policy? That question was never answered. Maybe that once will be written also this chapter of the WCL history.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE WCL (PART XIX)

The last picture I made of Emilio Maspero, was in November 1991 during the general assembly of CLAT Netherlands. Second from left is Emilio Maspero. To his left is Leonie van Bladel, President of CLAT Netherlands. To his right CLAT deputy general secretary Enrique Marius. Standing in front of the painting of the Dutch Queen Beatrix, made in Haiti, Hedy d'Ancona, Minister of Culture.

Unlike the European trade unions, the unions on the American continent don't have a common project similar to the European Union. On the contrary, until recently CLAT was convinced that the North American labor movement defended interests opposed to those of Latin America. At the time of the Cold War the AFL-CIO even placed the interests of the U.S. above the struggle for democracy and social justice in Latin America by defending the foreign policy of the US sometimes together with military intervention (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Chile etc) and even supporting dictatorships (Paragua, Nicaragua) . Has this been changed since the end of the Cold War? Maybe nowadays the AFL-CIO feels more connected with the Latin American trade union struggle for democracy and social justice than before but the question remains which model the AFL-CIO sees as the most appropriate for Latin America? That of neo-liberal capitalism, which has indeed brought much prosperity for North American workers, or the European model with its social dialogue, its network of social and health services, protection of the labor market etc.?

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez identified himself strongly with the Great Liberator Simon Bolivar (digital photo composition by Petrus)

In this ongoing debate between the northern and southern part of the American continent, which was conducted by CLAT with a certain ferocity, the Twentieth-Century Socialism of Venezuelan President Chavez sowed once again confusion. Just then also died Emilio Maspero (2000), the man who had made CLAT great with his intellectual power and energy. And if that was not enough, shortly thereafter from Europe came the first rumours about a merger of the WCL with the ICFTU. For CLAT General Secretary Eduardo Garcia, who had become the successor of Emilio Maspero, it must have been difficult times. How CLAT was going to continue without the WCL because it became soon clear that particularly the Belgian ACV/CSC was serious about the merger (under pressure from the Walloon side ). Without WCL there would be no more international political and financial backing for CLAT. The merger of WCL with ICFTU would certainly lead to financial problems and that would be very bad at all for CLAT with its headquarters and training and education center UTAL in Venezuela, the very country of President Chavez.

The tragedy is, that despite the many millions of dollars in aid from Europe during the last decennia, the CLAT had not succeeded to become financially independent. There are many causes for this. First of all the overall lack of political stability in Latin America due to poverty , social injustice , undemocratic political leadership , unemployment , the place of the military in the political system ( in some Latin American countries the budget of the army is many times larger than for example of the ministry of education or social services programs ), and so on. The second cause is the inability of unions to develop a sound financial policy. Solidarity is a commonly used word in Latin America, but it appears very difficult to put it into practice. Besides, trade union members feel more like a victim without self-esteem than people with confidence in the future. Many trade unions promote this culture of "being victim", not realizing that this undermines the confidence of their own members. All this is reinforced by a widespread lack of trade union democracy and transparency, whereby many trade unionists distrust the trade union and do not see their own trade union as their own responsibility. The consequence is that the payment of trade union contribution is low and irregular.

Opening of the UTAL in 1975. From left to right: Victor Duran who became later Director of UTAL, José Merced Gonzalez who was also WCL Confederal Secretary and Rangel Parra, General Secretary of the Latin American Federation of small Farmers (FCL).

Of course, CLAT also looked for other financial sources than membership fees, to finance its budget. For an international organization this is not easy . Nevertheless, with foreign aid in the course of decades, many projects have been set up , designed to make possible self-financing of CLAT. Many of these projects failed, due to lack of entrepreneurial and management skills. To lead succesfully a business requires other skills than leading a union. For example, thanks to the support of the Dutch NOVIB , CLAT had in the seventies its own printing company in Caracas, Venezuela . Despite the support of two Dutch experts paid by the NOVIB, the company had to be sold after some years . CLAT has also tried to reduce the costs of UTAL by renting it to outsiders but also failed to a large extent and had to knock back on the doors of European donors.

On WCL Board Meetings Emilio Maspero talked about opportunities to present projects in the various bodies of the European Union to support the WCL and its regional organizations, including CLAT . He spoke at one point even about the golden mountains of the European Union. A misunderstanding that I would have liked to make clear to him, but I believed this was a matter of discussion to be led by WCL chairman Willy Peirens. As a member of the Steering Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation ETUC, he was well informed that the European Union was the domain par excellence of the ETUC. Since WCL unions are a minority in the ETUC it was hardly possible to make use of EU funds. In the framework of the Phare-Tacis program repeatedly it has been tried to present projects with the aim to build democratic unions in Ukraine and Belarus. But one way or another, those WCL projects never met all bureaucratic requirements . After being rejected two, three times, while others less well–founded projects were approved , there was no other choice but to give up.

Left we see Arie Hordijk (1927-2010), former Secretary General of CNV Netherlands. he is one of the speakers inuring a protest against cutting back aid for development before the Dutch Parliament. In the middle Gerrit Pruim, Secretary of CNV Aktie Kom Over (changed to CNV Internationaal). The Dutch confederation CNV organized  the protest. On the right you see as one of the speakers the Dutch politician Cor Kleisterlee.The other speaker was professor Jan Tinbergen, Nobelprize winner for his work on macro-economics.  Hordijk together with CNV chairman Lanser played an important role in the transformation of the International Christian Trade Union Confederation (ICTUC) into the World Confederation of Labour (WCL). Based on personal experiences and meetings with trade union leaders in the Third World, they came to the conclusion that a purely Christian international had no future while religiously inspired unions do have.

Indeed , the ACV/CSC was watching that even the possibility of a conflict between the ETUC and WCL on available European funds for the WCL or its regional members, should be avoided. Thus, the WCL was not allowed to become a member of the Christian Democratic oriented European Centre for Workers' Questions EZA (the work of EZA is supported financially by the European Union), despite the request of the then new chairman Arie Hordijk, former General Secretary of the CNV ( a key member of WCL) and EZA General Secretary Joachim Herudek. It was said that EZA was an unfair competitor of the European Trade Union Institute ETUI, the Research and Education Center of the ETUC. But to my great surprise the WCL became member of EZA inmediately after the arrival of General Secretary Willy Thys (former ACV/CSC Boardmember). I can only imagine that this was possible because of a certain kind of understanding with the ETUC on the future merger of WCL and ICFTU . The pieces on the European chessboard were slowly pushed in the direction of the merger between WCL and ICFTU while most WCL members stood outside the game.

Before his retirement Joachim Herudek was Secretary General of EZA. 

Curiously but appropriate in this setting, was the prohibition of Willy Peirens to lobby at the Christian- Democratic oriented European People 's Party EPP and other Christian-Democratic personalities at high political positions. Looking for financial support for the 23th WCL World Congress that would be held in Mauritius in 1993, Carlos Custer and myself had a conversation with Miet Smet, Christian-Democratic Minister of Employment and Social Affairs in Belgium . During that time Belgium had the Presidency of the European Union. Therefore Minister Miet Smet was also President of the European Council of Ministers of Labour. We believed she could give a financial hand to our international seminar prior to the Congress by delivering one or more speakers funded by the EU or some other kind of financial support. The WCL president rejected our efforts declaring that the Minister of Labor made life of ACV/CSC difficult. The argument that we spoke to her as the President of the European Council of Ministers of Labor and not as a Minister of Labor of Belgium, was not accepted.

The WCL Board Members at the 23 Congress 1993 in Mauritius. From left to right: Bogdan Hossu, President of Cartel alfa Rumania, Anton Westerlaken, President of CNV Netherlands, Emilo Maspero General Secretary CLAT, Willy Peirens President WCL and ACV/CSC Belgium, Akpemado General Secretary ODSTA, Michel Bovy, President International Trade Federation FIOST and Belgium Transport Trade Union. Re-elected General Secretary Carlos Custer just walks away.

In the same period I had a similar experience after a meeting with Leo Tindemans (1922-2013), former Belgian Prime Minister and former president of the Christian Democratic European People 's Party EPP . Although Leo Tindemans clearly demonstrated to be ready to establish contacts with the WCL , which he knew well from earlier times, WCL President Willy Peirens did not want to give a follow-up arguing that ACV/CSC had bad experiences with him on national policies. Again, the argument that Tindemans now is more a European than a Belgium politician was not accepted. Once again the WCL was blocked to develop contacts with one of the most powerful political parties in the European Parliament and the European Commission. I was wondering why this was happening because I was sure that ETUC and ICFTU officials maintained contacts with high ranking European Social-Democratic politicians. Also it was very frustrating that ACV/CSC representatives in the WCL Confederal Board insisted upon me as a confederal secretary for Europe, to lobby for more financial support for the WCL, but in practice I had no room for lobbying within the European Union. The result was that on European level the WCL became more and more a political orphan. How could the WCL survive in such conditions?

To be continued

"TRADE UNION PLURALISM, REALITY OR DREAM?"

All participants in the seminar on the photo.

Is Trade Union pluralism just a dream or is it reality in the trade union world? Particpants from many different countries of Europe debated on this question based on analysis of the reality in their countries during the seminar “Trade Union pluralism, reality or a dream”, held last week in Berlin, Germany (25-26 September 2013). The seminar was organized by the Danish trade union confederation KRIFA and the European Centre for Workers' Questions EZA in cooperation with the European Organization of the World Organization of Workers (EO/WOW) and financially supported by the European Commission.

Guenther Trausnitz, EO/WOW President and FCG GPA secretary general, was one of the speakers at the opening of the seminar. The others were WOW board member Adelbert Ewen and Matthias Homey of EZA.

During the workshop the participants exchanged experiences on trade union pluralism in their country. You will be surprised to hear that in a country like Germany the trade union of metalworkers, the biggest, the richest and most powerfull union IGM uses courts to harass and make life difficult to the Christian Metal Workers trade union CGM. The result is that CGM had to use a big part of its membership contributions for paying the costs of these legal proceedings. The IGM accused the CGM not being a real trade union. In Gemany this is a legal question. Without being recognized as a real trade union one cannot sign collective agreements and without collective agreements a trade union risks to lose its reason to exist.

Ms.Isabella Biletta from EUROFOND started the seminar with a bird-eye view on " 'Trade Union Pluralism on European level".

More or less the same happened in Spain, another memberstate of the European Union. For 12 years it was impossible for the Spanish CIC (Confederacion Intersindical de Cajas) to sign collective agreements because the two big Confederations UGT (General Union of Workers) and CCOO (Workers Committees) did not accept the CIC as a partner, while the CIC had enough votes of the workers for being a legal negotiating partner. I was told that the presidency of the European Trade Union Confederation ETUC nowadays is in hands of a member of CCOO (you cannot find confirmation on the ETUC website).

Ms. Anne Kiesow from the Christian Metal Trade Union CGM spoke on "Trade Union Pluralism in Germany".

Even worse is the situation in Denmark. Some time ago about 200 workers of the dominant Confederation LO went on strike in a Carlsberg brewery as a collective protest against one of their collegues because he had chosen to be a member of the Danish Christian trade union confederation KRIFA. Carlsberg fired the worker because it did not want to have problems with LO. In trade union history this is called “deprivation of livelihood”. To make it impossible for trade unions to become active in their company, employers fired workers who were members of a trade union. So today there are unions who use the same weapon against workers who belong to an other union just because they are afraid losing their dominance instead of looking for ways to work together for the benefit of all employees in the company. This is not the only case. It's happened many times before. I wonder what these Carlsberg workers would do if in Denmark only one brand of beer – not Carlsberg – could be sold?

Mr. Wolfgang Pischinger, President of FCG GPA and WOW Board member, spoke about "Pluralism in the Austrian Trade Union work.

However, the worst cases we got from Ukraina from our friends of VOST. In Ukraina the transition to democracy and an open market economy has been slowed down by post-communist forces with the result that Government and employers - many times so-called oligarchs – cooperate together with the aim to create confusion. Employers create their own company unions (so called yellow unions) with our without the help of people from outside the company. The Government recognizes trade unions that exists only on paper. Workers have to become member of the union if they want to keep their job. This is the dark side of pluralism that should be attacked by all democratic forces in Ukraina.

Ms.Dragana Petkovic-Gajic, PhD Political Sciences and Project Manager Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia -CATUS, spoke about "What consequences does Trade Union Pluralism have? Positive and negative aspects of pluralism in South-Eastern Europe.

Another case is Serbia where Western European Banks are buying local banks but do not respect the trade union rights. President Marja Erdelj of the Serbian Union BOFOS informed that for example the French Bank Credit Agricole forced its employees to sign a letter in which they promise not to become a member of a trade union. She hopes to reestablish the rights of the employees during a meeting to which she has been invited by the Management.

Mr. Piet Hazenbosch, Adviser to the board of the Dutch confederation CNV, spoke about "The Dutch case of trade union pluralism".

Fortunately, there are also countries where trade union pluralism has been accepted by all trade unions and where it works reasonably well as for example in Austria, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Malta and post-communist Lithuania. Netherlands has an already long history of trade union pluralism consisting of a social-democratic, christian and liberal-conservative confederation and some national branch unions. Until World War II there was also a Catholic oriented confederation which merged with the social-democratic confederation in the seventies of the past century. All confederations participate in the national social dialogue and all unions are involved in collective agreements.

Mr.Mattheus Homey of EZA spoke on "The importance of Trade Union pluralism from the perspective of EZA".

In Austria, after World War II the Allied Forces together with the forces of Russia forced the trade unions to become one unified confederation called the Austrian Trade Union Confederation ÖGB. Within the ÖGB there are different fractions. The 2 most important fractions are the Socialist fraction FSG ÖGB and the Christian Fraction FCG ÖGB. This system of fractions exists also in the seven branche unions of the ÖGB. In most of these branche unions the Socialist fraction has the majority. In the Branch Trade Union for Private Employed and Print, Journalists and Paper GPA the Christian fraction is a significant minority. In the public services union GÖD, the Christian fraction has the majority.

Mr. Soren Fibiger Olesen, President of KRIFA Denmark, presented his topic " I have a dream that one day all unions can work together to promote the interest of the workers!" 

The seminar topic was introduced by Md. Isabella Biletta, Research Manager of EUROFOND, a tri-partite European Union Agency, that provides knowledge to assist in the development of social and work-related policies. One of the tasks of EUROFOND was to establish criteria for the selection of representative trade unions that could participate in the branch social dialogue commissions of the European Union. She presented also the results of a long term research project that shows that trade union membership continues declining with exceptions in some countries like for example Belgium. It seems that the trade unions don't have yet the right answers to this loss of members. Can it be that the trade unions have become more of an institution than of a social movement? 

The presentation of the results of the working groups. From left to right: Adalbert Ewen (President CMG Germany) as the president of the day, Jolien Dekker from CNV Dienstenbond, Henning Röders from DVV Germany and Jelena Soms from LWU Lithuania.

The participants agreed with the proposal to send a letter to the European Social Economic Committee EESC in which the right of trade union pluralism will be formulated as a fundamental workers right. Workers should have a choice between trade unions free of any discrimination to them as well the trade union to which they belong. In the letter also the cases of the violation of this right on trade union pluralism will be mentioned. The letter will therefore include the cases of violations of trade union pluralism as cited above.

INTRODUCING THE DECENT EMPLOYMENT RATE

The European Centre for Workers'Questions EZA with the financial support of the European Commission has just published an interesting booklet with the promising title “Europe 2020 – How to meet the 75% employment rate target in a decent way?” (Contributions to Social dialogue 14). Not an easy subject but the three authors Tom Vandenbrande, Michael Schwarz & Hubert Cosey have succeeded in presenting the results of this research project from both EZA and the Higher Institute for Labour ofthe Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) in a clear and straightforward manner.

The authors analyze the 'Europe 2020' policy regarding the target 75% of the 20-64 years-old to be employed in 2020. Today a very topical issue in the EU where unemployment rates are rising fast because of the economic crisis that followed after the financial crisis in the Eurozone countries. To find out what will be the employment rates in the EU in the year 2020 the researchers used the rather simple forecasting methodology assuming that the participation patterns of European citizens will show the same patterns as in the decade before ( the EU Lisbon agreement 2000 – 2010). Based on this methodology it is expected that “the employment rate will rise very moderately between 2010 and 2020 to achieve an employment rate close to 70% in 2020.”

The authors expect “that two elements are in favor of the employment target set by the European Commission for the next decade.” First of all, our forecast is encouraging for European policymakers, as the number of countries within target would increase from 5 to 6 countries and 8 other countries come close to the target in exercise. The number of countries with an employment rate of more than 10% below target would be reduced from eleven to six countries. Secondly, the opportunity given by the European Commission to translate the 75% target into national targets has been inspiring and possibly motivating individual Member States to work out a feasible national strategy with regard to employment rate progress.” (page 16 – 18)

The most important issue however is how to reach this employment rate of 75%? On this point the authors make some critical observations on the recipes offered by the European Commission. The European policy makers suggest 3 paths in the quest for more employment:

1. Reducing the cost of labour by reducing social security contributions, flexibility in entry wage setting, a wider use of in-work benefits..

2.Attract inactive people to the labour market: enhance greater internal flexibility, flex-time, extend day-care facilities, link unemployment benefits to training/job search etc...

3. Education and training: responsiveness of training to the labour market, support targeted training...

Regarding the number one proposal, that is to reduce labour costs, the authors come to a remarkable conclusion after analyzing EU labour statistics: “there is no strong relation between reducing the labour cost and a positive evolution of the employment rate in European Member States.” (page 21) This means that the idea of the European policymakers that work will become attractive for employers by reducing labour costs does not work so well. Therefore the authors propose an alternative way which is to make work more attractive for workers by ensuring decent jobs. “As workers have the prospect of a high-quality job, the reward of working time is bigger than the reward of free time, and more people will be motivated to invest their time in a job. So, raising the job quality will be positively linked to more workers and a higher employment rate.” (page 23)

This positive relationship between job quality and employment rate should be supported firstly by raising the human capital of workers. “Investment in training and learning opportunities increases individual productivity, but also the productivity of co-workers through spill-over effects. Secondly, workers' security induces economic growth. Elements such as job protection, safe working conditions, fair wages, and access to social protection may also increase productivity and participation, and therefore favor growth and labour supply. In addition, many security mechanisms work as automatic stabilizers, which are particularly helpful during economic downturns. “ (page 23-24)

Following these conclusions the authors look for ways how to make work attractive as an alternative way for creating more employment. The result is a list of elements that define work quality: work autonomy, work intensity, physical risk exposure, psychological risk exposure, level of team autonomy, meaningfulness of work, wages and social benefits, suitable working times, job security, skills development, career opportunities, voice.

Because of the foregoing it is not a surprise that the authors propose the development of a 'decent employment rate' that in the future will accompany the employment rate that is “calculated by dividing the number of people working in decent employment by the total population.” (page 49)

They call the unions “to promote actively the economic and social advantages for employers and employees that emerge through the introduction of good work quality policies... Workers' organizations should also insist that good practice examples from European countries are, where applicable, considered, promoted and possibly adopted by other Member States.” (page 50)

UNIONS NEED TO REVITALIZE

Profesor Milan Katuninec spoke on the European Seminar of WOW in Vienne on the Social Dialogue in Central and Eastern Europe (EZA sponsored). We have already published on this blog two parts of his speech: "Why Unions lose power in Central and Eastern Europe" and "The rise of individualism". Below you find the third and the last part.

Besides the increasing individualism, the trade union movement has to contend with another big challenge. Trade unions can not ignore the „birth of nearly one hundred new types of power-scrutinizing institutions unknown to previous democracies.“ Democracy offers space for individual and social emancipation. This will cause constant tension between solidarity and freedom and there will always remain a countervailing power and collective labor agreement will always be needed. But the old rule of „one person, one vote, one representative“ is replaced by the new principle of monitory democracy, „one person, many interests,... multiple representatives“.

 Political scientist John Keane sees in modern information technologies an important stimulus to halt the declining public interest not only in political, but in fact in the whole social life of the home, as well as internationally.  The world has become increasingly diverse and this is the challenge for the trade unions. Effective public debate about freedom, justice, toleration and solidarity requires that employees, students as well as other citizens are well-informed. Trade unions, in the competition of various interests must take advantage of the new possibilities of information networks.

Social-economic factors will always play an important role in the political assessments of social partnership. Politics can only be understood in an economic and social context and all efforts to separate social and economic problems usually result in political problems. It requires a democratic society and socially-minded citizens who, in their own interest, are freely engaged in public and social interests and do not remain passive observers of social change.

But looking forward, the trade union movements should revitalize themselves by the use of greater internal reflection and by a responsible reaction to many new social challenges. The question is, whether their leaders will meet the hopes of the trade union members and whether employees will realize that the membership is very important for the authority and the bargaining power of the trade union? Or whether the trade union movement will continue suffer from undervaluing of external changes and weakening of social responsibility? Can trade unions save themselves or will their position deteriorate in the future and will they only remain as a decoration of public policy? 

           

I do not think that during the current economic and social crisis will the trade union movement in Central and Eastern Europe become more powerful. But despite the decline of trade union membership, we can not say that the idea of social justice in Central and Eastern Europe is unpopular. This leads me to believe that the trade unions, by taking into account new factors and challenges and making concrete proposals on strategies to improve social dialogue, will be more attractive and will have substantial opportunities for their active and responsible social policy.   

SOCIAL DIALOGUE IN EUROPE

Left Profesor Milan Katuninec who gave an overview of the Social Dialogue in central and eastern European countries like Hungary and Slowakia. He explained why in these former communist countries the Social Dialogue is still 'under construction'.
In the centre of the photograph Günther Trausnitz, vice president of the WOW, president of the European Organization of WOW (EO/WOW) and Executive Secretary of the Austrian Union GPA-djp for Christian fraction. His organization hosted the seminar. Günther also introduced to the seminar audiance the so-called "Magic Triangle" of the Social Dialogue in Austria as one of the pillars of the welfare state Austria.
On the right Reinhardt Schiller, member of the EO/WOW and former president of the German CGM.

European Social Christian oriented unions held an EZA sponsored two-day seminar in Vienna about the Social Dialogue in Europe (April 18-19). Trade union representatives of 17 European countries listened and debated with 12 speakers and discussed matters in working groups. The seminar was organized by WOW together with its member-organisation from Austria, the Christian Fraction of the trade union GPA-djp.

In the middle of the photograph Jonathan Stabenow, Executive Secretary of the European Christian Democratic Workers Group (EUCDW). Jonathan started the seminar with an introduction of the activities and aims of the EUCDW. He invited WOW members to stay in contact with EUCDW about its opinions and ideas.
Right in front you see Rolf Weber from the Danish KRIFA and treasurer of WOW. He presented together with Sören Fibiger Olesen, president of  KRIFA, and Jesper Wengel, Administrative Director of KRIFA, the story of KRIFA in Denmark, about the succesful new aproach of KRIFA to grow and the failure of the Danish Government to recognize trade union pluralism in the Social Dialogue.
Left you see Ana Kostovska from the Macedonian Trade Union of Finances. Behind Ana sits Freek Ruijs from the Dutch Dienstenbond CNV.

In working groups they discussed on such questions as if they consider the Social Dialogue in their country as a success, if not why not, what the role is of the trade unions in the Social Dialogue, if employers and governments respect the trade unions as their social partners, what should be the future of Social Dialogue, what is the position of trade unions in the society (trade unions in Europe are losing members) etc? 

The Spanish speaking working group together with members of the trade union ASIPA (Zaragoza), FEC-CAT (Barcelona), FCG/GPA and the Dienstenbond CNV.
Behind you see one of the English speaking groups at work with members of the Slowakian trade union NKOS and the Maltese trade union UHM.

Speakers from countries that have a long-term experience with Social Dialogue like for example Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands agreed that the Social Dialogue has brought stability and welfare for all people in their countries. But they also concluded that because of the globalisation, the fast technological developments, the demographic developments (people become older), the financial crisis of 2008, the European crisis today, etc. it is necessary to revaluate the Christian social values and based on this revaluation to come to a redefinition of the employment conditions and functioning of the labor market.

EZA president Bartho Pronk and former member of the European Parliament told that he was glad to be present at an seminar of its member organization WOW. He also introduced the activities of EZA for the next year. EZA is very eager to assist its members to find answers on the contemporean problems of the trade unions from the social Christian point of view.
Left on the photograph Günther Trausnitz who has been already introduced. Right on the photograph Wolfgang Pischinger,  President of FCG/GPA and member of the EO/WOW board.

However, in other countries the Social Dialogue is still ‘under construction’ because governments and or employers do not respect the trade unions, don’t want to enter in a dialogue or use the dialogue just for their own political agenda. In some countries like for example Serbia, employers don’t even accept the existence of a trade union in their company. Trade unions have still to struggle to become recognised as a valuable partner for democracy, socio-economic progress and social justice.

CNV President Jaap Smit explained the need to find new answers based on the classical social Christian values. In his words; trade unions should redecorate their homes and change old furniture for new furniture. Social Dialogue has proved its value for the Dutch society but today it is at stake because of dramatic demographic changes, new technologies, on-going globalization, the arrival of a new generation with new poriorities etc.

The participants agreed that trade unions should have the courage to look with fresh eyes to the labor world of today and based on a revaluation of Christian social values should reformulate how “redecorate the labor world with new wallpaper and new furniture”.

Before closing the seminar a panel discussion on the role of the social partners took place. Moderator was Mara Erdelj, member of the EO/WOW board and President of the Serbian Trade Union Bofos. Panel members were  (from left to right) Valère Jung, also board member of EO/WOW and secretray general of the French CFTC Metal, Jelena Soms from the Lithuanian LDF and Demetris Patsalos of the trade union POAS in Cyprus.

During the evening FCG/GPA offered the participants a dinner at an typical Austrian restaurant. Here a view of the Serbian BOFOS delegation with President Mara Erdelj (right in front of the photograph) and the delegation of the Croation trade union SING. Behind you see the Maltese UHM  delegates Secretary General  Josef Vella (left) and President Jesmond Bonello.

THE HISTORY OF THE TRADE UNION NAPFE IN THE UNITED STATES

Paul Tennassee was invited by the World Organisation of Workers WOW to speak on the World Financial Crisis during a European seminar held in EU country Cyprus sponsored by EZA. You see Paul in the centre. On the left you see WOW President Roel Rotshuizen. Between Paul and Roel sits WOW Boardmember Piet Nelissen. WOW Executive Secretary Bjorn van Heusden sits on the right.

Trade Unionist and Academic Paul Tennassee was invited by President James M McGee of the National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees NAPFE to write the history of his union. NAPFE has already a long history. It was founded in 1913. So in two years more it will celebrate its centennial. Paul hopes to present in August 2013 a book with the complete history of 100 years of NAPFE.

Recently Paul presented his book on the history of NAPFE from 1913 until 1945 during an interview on the TV station CaribNation. The interview with Paul can be seen and heard on YouTube. It takes you less than half an our to get to know better Paul and of course the history of NAPFE. It is a very interesting history because this trade union history is interwoven with that of the struggle against racism in the United States.