This event had the support of the EUROPEAN UNION

Seminar documents

The contents of the workshop

The Education Department of the European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety organised a workshop about A European dimension to the training of employee board-level representatives at the Elewijt Center nearby Brussels 30^th May – 1^st June 2007. This workshop gathered trade union representatives and trainers from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Slovak Republic, Sweden as well as a number of experts. 

The aims were:

According to the character of this seminar, the participants introduced each other in a game that gave the opportunity to exchange of basic personal and professional information including participants’ expectations towards the seminar.    

First presenters, Michael Stollt and Norbert Kluge from ETUI – REHS gave a brief overview on board level representation in Europe and explained the differences between national representation systems. (The documents presented at the workshop can be downloaded from the Seminar documents section of this Web Site.)

Later during the day each of the representatives of different countries held a presentation on specific trade union programs and changing needs and demands to trade unions on national level. (All presentations are available from the Seminar documents section)

Some of the emphasized issues and problematic points:

In summary, with some exceptions, an offer for education exists and board level representatives are one of the main target groups for training activities at national level, however European issues are not in the main focus yet, law, accountancy etc are the most common themes proposed during those courses.

During those exchanges the following needs were identified:

The objective of the second day was to identify topics characterized by a transnational dimension on the basis of an exchange with BLRs and the national training experiences. As a warming up, participants read and discussed a short story about a difficult situation and as it was expected from the different groups to come to diverging conclusions. It showed well what kind of problems trainers will have to face on European level.

Practitioners from Finland, Germany and France explained their experiences on transnational dimensions of their worker representative role.

Rauni Söderlund (former member of the board of Nordea Bank) reported that there was no much training on board level and answered to the audience’ questions concerning the differences between Swedish and Finnish national representation systems, negotiation, remuneration and practical difficulties of preparing for board meetings.   

Peter Zettl (member of SE works council of MAN Diesel SE) gave a summary on what sort of problems arised while setting up the SE, and answered questions regarding the negotiation process.

Jean – Michel Gaveau (member of the administrative board of France Telecom, CGT) provided details on the company, and mentioned that cutting R&D costs affects trainings too, and emphasized that national capacities are limited.  

As closing down the session, Kevin O’Kelly presented results of a 9-country survey’s on EBLs training that gave overview on facts and needs.

In the afternoon two mixed working groups were formed where the participants exchanged about:

 The results briefly are as follows:

Working group I: (pps file can be downloaded from the Seminar document section).

1. There must be joint presence of BLR’s in Europe (network, meetings etc)

2. Qualification needed of BLR’s on European issues (basic training, interactive and distance learning, website etc.)

3. Home-based training sessions (topics as globalization, restructuring, business english course, cross-cultural training, sector-based sessions, in-company training)

4. Target groups: representatives with cross-boarder background (SE) and those who have training already on national level

Working group II.

The group identified 6 fields of training:

The main point is to gain understanding among employee representatives for what is going on in the business world and how to cope with the changes.

The following target groups for training on board level issues were mentioned: trainers, EWC coordinators, representatives in European Works Councils, board level representatives 

The third day the outcomes of the working group discussion were presented in  plenary and during a tour de table Rainer Hoffmann, Deputy General Secretary, ETUC, Reinhard Reibsch General Secretary, EMCEF, Simon Cox, EFFAT, Luc Triangle representing EMF and Reiner Koch representing EPSU shared their points of view. Emphasize was given for issues as networking, solidarity. Common positions need to not only to be developed but also to be implemented into practice.

Finally Norbert Kluge in his conclusions proposed the following next steps:

Some participants added that:

Useful links:

www.worker-representation.eu

www.etui-rehs.org

www.etuc.org

www.boeckler.org

www.effat.org

www.emcef.org

www.emf.org

www.epsu.org

http://www.worker-participation.eu/european_works_councils/ewc_training