European Trade Union Institute

For Research, Education, Health & Safety

EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

Mr Gábor Csizmár, Minister of Employment and Labour in the Republic of Hungary welcomed the participants to Budapest an announced that the first tripartite collective agreement in the construction industry had been concluded in Hungary. This agreement is a very important step for the Hungarian construction industry and the fact that the seminar was organised in Budapest seem to have contributed to the conclusion of this agreement.

Mr Ernst-Ludwig Laux, Chairman of the EFBWW Standing Committee Building introduced the general background and the reasons why this seminar was organised. Black and undeclared work constitute a serious threat to employment in the sector. The seminar should make it possible to

• To examine and compare practices of undeclared work in the construction sector in Europe

• To develop trade union strategies to reduce and prevent illegal work in the sector.

An overview of European measures to prevent, reduce and combat undeclared

and illegal labour in the construction industry

Ms Isabella Biletta, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Ireland) introduced the EIRO research report on industrial relations and undeclared work. Download her presentation from the “Seminar documents.” The overview and the national reports can be downloaded from www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int

The EFBWW-FIEC research on undeclared labour in the construction industry was presentated by Mr Jan Cremers,

Construction Labour Research. Download his presentation from the “Seminar materials.”

Undeclared work constitutes one of the main challenges for trade unions in the road transport sector according to Ms Beatrice Hertogs, European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF). There are some similarities between how some employers in the road transport sector are exercising pressure on terms and working conditions by hiring underpaid workers from the new countries in cabotage activities in “old” EU countries and what is happening in the construction . Download her presentation from “Seminar documents.”

Mr Werner Buelen, European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW), emphasized that:

• Approximately 11 million workers are directly employed in the European construction sector.

• A strong employment policy in the construction sector therefore has a positive impact on employment in general.

• Compared with other industrial activities, the construction sector is by far the most labour intensive industry.

• Traditionally construction workers are an exceedingly vulnerable group in the highly competitive battle between building firms. His presentation can be downloaded from “Seminar materials.”

An overview of national experiences and good practices in Belgium, the Netherlands, France

Sharing information on experiences and good practices between trade unions on preventing, reducing and combating undeclared and illegal labour within the social dialogue sphere strengthens the national trade unions. Building further on the experiences and results made by fellow trade unions will contribute to the future trade union strategy to tackle undeclared and illegal labour in the construction industry.

Mr Guy Bonnewijn, ACV Bouw en Industrie (Belgium)

Mr John Kerstens, FNV Bouw (the Netherlands)

Mr Jean-Luc Plumelet, CGT (France)

An overview of national experiences and good practices in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Hungary and Poland

Mr Jacob Scavenius, 3F (Denmark)

Mr. Sven Ljung, Sv Byggnadsarbetareförbundet (Sweden)

Mr Kyösti Suokas, Rakennusliitto (Finland)

Mr Kjell Skjaervo, Fellesforbundet (Norway)

Mr József Csorvási, Federation of Building, Wood and Building Materials Industries Workers’ Union (Hungary)

Mr Jacob Kus, ZZ “Budowlani” (Poland)

An overview of national experiences and good practices in Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic

Mr Dietmar Schäfers, IG BAU (Germany)

Mr Herbert Aufner, GBH (Austria)

Mr Massimo Trinci, FeNEAL-UIL (Italy)

Mr Oskar Komac, SDGD (Slovenia)

Mr Jiri Cech, OS STAVBA ČR (Czech Republic)

The panel

The future policy of the EFBWW on undeclared and illegal labour

During this session the participants discussed a common strategy at European and national level by the trade unions to prevent, reduce and combat undeclared and illegal labour in the construction industry.

Introductions were made by: 

Mr Bart Van Malderen, La Centrale Générale, FGTB (Belgium)

Mr József Csorvási, EFEDOSZSZ (Hungary)

Mr Albert Germann, UNIA (Switserland)

Concluding remarks

The concluding remarks were summarized by Mr Mr Ernst-Ludwig Laux, Chairman of the EFBWW Standing Committee Building and on the basis of the following discussion a proposal for a press release was presented by Mr Werner Buelen, EFBWW. Download the press release from the material section of this seminar.

Other participants at this seminar were:

Mr Emil Nissen, TIB, Denmark

Mr Antal Mihalusz, EFEDOSZSZ, Hungary

Mr Csimár Gábor, EFEDOSZSZ, Hungary

Mr Gijs Lokhorst, Hout-en Bouwbond, the Netherlands