EPSU Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining Conference, 3-4 December 2007
The future of European industrial relations in the public services
3-4 December 2007
International Trade Union House (ITUH) Room Auditorium
5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels
EPSU’s 2007 Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining Conference will take place in Brussels on 3-4 December and will focus in particular on the future for European industrial relations in the public services. This will be an important debate both in terms of taking a strategic view of EPSU’s work in social dialogue and collective bargaining and in providing an initial opportunity to discuss these issues in the run up to the EPSU Congress in 2009.
Outside speakers will provide a broader perspective on what is achievable in terms of European-level co-ordination in the social dialogue and collective bargaining and there will be plenty of opportunity for EPSU delegates to discuss these issues in workshop sessions.
This conference will also develop a key area of EPSU policy that has featured in recent conferences - retention and recruitment of older workers - as well as examining an important new area - sustainable development.
Speakers from the ETUC and the ETUI-REHS institute will start the conference with overviews of inter-sectoral social dialogue and collective bargaining.
There will then be a detailed discussion on social dialogue and collective bargaining in the public services. This will include consideration of the EPSU annual report on collective bargaining and updates on key policy issues such as equal pay, low pay, outsourcing and working time.
The afternoon of the second day will provide an opportunity to assess progress and look forward to the key areas of work during the pre-Congress period of 2008 and early 2009.
Practical details
The conference is open to all affiliated unions and is targeted at colleagues who are involved in and have responsibility for collective bargaining.
We would particularly encourage affiliates to help us improve the gender balance at this event by nominating women delegates. The participation of women has improved over the last few years, up from 32% in 2004 to 38% in 2006 and it would be good to continue this positive trend.
Interpretation has been requested to and from English, French, German, Czech, Swedish, Italian and Romanian. We have also requested that you may speak but not listen to Danish, Norwegian, Spanish and Portuguese.
The Conference will take place in the Auditorium of the International Trade Union House, 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, starting at 09:00 on Monday 3 December 2007 and ending at 16:30 on Tuesday 4 December 2007.
EPSU expects affiliated unions to cover the travel and accommodation expenses of their participants.
European Commission funding means that financial assistance is available for a limited number of delegates from the New Member States and Candidate Countries. Please see the note below explaining this. It will be up to the affiliates in those countries to agree who should apply for financial assistance. In case of questions please do not hesitate to contact the secretariat.
A hotel list offering preferential tariffs to EPSU / ETUC is attached.
Please return the enclosed participation form to the EPSU Secretariat by 2 November 2007 at the latest. Thank you.
Draft conference programme
Draft Policy Paper - Recruitment and retention of older workers - part of an age management approach
EPSU Collective Bargaining Annual Report 2007 - Summary
Future of European industrial relations in the public services - Summary
Example of a model Environmental Partnership Agreement provided by Unite, EPSU affiliate in the UK (English only)
Briefing document: sustainable development - Summary 2007 (English only)
Summary of developments in EPSU sectors: Electricity, Gas, Local and regional government, National and European administration, Hospitals - power point (English only)
Participation form and list of hotels
Travel and Accommodation for participants eligible for financial assistance
The Conference is funded by the European Commission. This allows EPSU to contribute to the travel and accommodation of trade union representatives from New Member States and Candidate Countries. Affiliates in the countries concerned are requested to consult each other and nominate their delegate(s). Priority will be given to participants who are members of the epsucob@-network and regular contributors. This contribution is only available to delegates from unions having fulfilled their affiliation obligations towards EPSU as laid out in the paragraphs of section 5 of the EPSU Constitution.
The funding enables EPSU to contribute to:
The travel of participants with a maximum of 500 euros. You are therefore
requested to use APEX or cheapest tickets. In order to be reimbursed, tickets
and boarding cards must be kept and sent back to EPSU after the
conference with the expense claim (taxis will not be reimbursed).
The accommodation of participants up to a maximum of 140,00 euros per night
for a maximum stay of 2 nights.
The following reimbursements are available: Czech Republic: 5 Poland: 4 Slovakia: 5 Slovenia: 3 Estonia: 3 Lithuania: 3 Latvia: 3 Hungary: 4 Bulgaria: 4 Croatia: 3 Turkey: 4 Romania: 4
Other interpretation We also have the possibility of reimbursing travel and accommodation for a colleague to assist participants with interpretation. Please consult with the secretariat for more details on this. (This applies to the New Member States and applicant countries).
In countries for which we are able to reimburse more than one person, one of the two
delegates must be a woman. This is in line with EPSU equal opportunity policies.
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