(12 September 2011) The negotiations to come to a transnational company agreement on equality is making good and steady progress. Large agreement exists over:
- Scope of the agreement
- Development and follow up of equality action plans and the involvement of local workplace representatives
- Importance of changing mentalities and behavior
- Communication on the agreement
- Dealing with recruitment
- Parity during career development
- Access to professional training
- Networking and mentoring
Reflections continue over the size of the companies that are to develop equality plans which is the key instrument to improve equality. The action plans are also linked with achieving the objectives the company has set out such as the % of women in new recruitment and the % of women in higher levels of management. Ambitious and realistic targets are required and further discussions will take place. Differences of opinion emerged regarding the balanced representation of men and women in the representational bodies, and how and where to achieve this. The work environment should be such that it allows women to take up a trade union/ work place representation mandate. A positive attitude of local management towards unions and workers representation work in important contribution.
Management has also proposed its amendments to the trade union suggestions on a series of other articles. The union side considered these in its debriefing meeting. It includes important issues such as
- ensuring equal pay, and how.
- improving the working environment
- dealing with reorganization and outsourcing
- tackling sexual harassment
- complaint procedure
- non-regression clause
- the pre-amble and most importantly
- the implementation of the agreement which will be a key issue to determine the final position of the union side on the whole text.
The trade union delegation met for a preparatory meeting on the 8th of Setpember and with management on the 9th, in Paris. EPSU was represented by the Deputy General Secretary who acted as spokesperson for the union delegation
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