EPSU

Collective Bargaining CWE energy group

catherine — 2010-09-20T12:54:00Z

Draft Agenda

1. Recent collective bargaining developments – there will be a report at the meeting but you can also follow collective bargaining news in the utilities here

2. Draft EPSU collective bargaining guidelines and key bargaining issues – the proposed guidelines were discussed briefly at the April meeting and we agreed to reconsider them again at this meeting.

3. Wages, profits and dividends – the latest figures for the main energy companies

4. Training and skills – a discussion about sector skills councils and whether the group should undertake any specific work on training

5. Joint meeting with Nordic unions – changes in the structure of the European energy market mean that it might be worthwhile for the CBCWE group to work with EPSU affiliates in the Nordic region. One possibility would be to organize a joint meeting (financed by a social dialogue project) between the CBCWE group and the Nordic energy unions to consider the value of doing this and how it might work in practice.

6. Salary comparisons – the Wage Indicator's revised project on salary comparisons (WISUTIL) has been approved by the European Commission. Maarten van Klaveren from the University of Amsterdam will outline the project and the main task for EPSU and its affiliates.

7. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) – company CSR reports provide some interesting information on collective bargaining, training, health and safety and other issues. An EPSU-commissioned report looks at the extent to which companies are meeting CSR standards and providing information in line with CSR guidelines. Another short report (available shortly) also looks at a specific group of companies to compare the information they provide.

Energy group looks at latest trends in pay, profits and dividends

catherine — 2010-04-22T13:27:11Z

(22 April 2010) EPSU's working group on collective bargaining in Central and Western Europe met for the sixth time yesterday to exchange the latest information on developments in their countries. Participants talked about recent negotiations and also examined longer term trends in company profits and dividends when compared to average wages.

Although employers were taking a tough line the most recent increases in Austria, France, Germany and the Netherlands had all been just ahead of inflation. The group also discussed whether to adopt a number of collective bargaining guidelines and this debate will be continued at the next meeting. Salary comparisons were also on the agenda and the group was hopeful that a project supported by EPSU and submitted by researchers at the University of Amsterdam would get European Commission funding so that some detailed work on this issue could be undertaken.

More details of the meeting are available here for EPSU affiliates: http://www.epsu.org/r/441

Collective Bargaining CWE energy group

epsuadmin — 2010-04-21T09:51:00Z

Third Floor, 45 Rue Royale (EPSU office building)

10.00-16.00

meeting documents

Fair shares? Wages and profits in the energy sector 2009

richard — 2009-10-13T18:52:50Z

The CB CWE group has been discussing ways of comparing pay between countries and companies. One method has been to compare the data on wages and salaries in company annual reports and relate this to developments in profits and dividends.

An initial investigation revealed a significant trend that is common among most of the major European energy multinationals with wages and salaries falling significantly as a proportion of both profits and dividends since 2000.

The report "Fair shares" includes the main findings and summary charts. This report is an analysis of recent trends in European energy multinationals carried out against the backdrop of the financial crisis and increasing calls from employers and international financial institutions that trade unions need to restrict their pay claims in response to the recession. The report clearly shows that while negotiated wages have been through a lengthy period of moderate increases, company profits and dividends have been rising rapidly.


Fair shares: wages and profits in the energy sector

Scope of industry and company bargaining

richard — 2009-10-13T18:34:25Z

The coverage of collective agreements in the energy sector is facing pressure from two factors. One is the growth in outsourcing which means that many workers are being transferred out of the energy sector when services like cleaning, security, IT, maintenance and meter reading are outsourced to non-energy companies. The other challenge comes from technological developments and responses to climate change which means that a range of new energy-related services are being developed which may not fall into the traditional view of the energy sector.

These issues are being discussed within the collective bargaining group and below are outlined some of the main definitions of the sector as they appear in sectoral agreements in Austria, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

The definitions are quite broad and would appear to cover most operators involved in any kind of electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply. However, there is some variation between countries. Energy trading is specifically excluded from the Belgium and French (with exception of EDF) industries but is included in the Netherlands and, although not mentioned specifically, doesn't appear to be excluded from the Austrian agreement, in fact there are VEO member companies that appear to be involved only in energy trading.

Both the Belgian and Dutch definitions cover meter reading but this is not specifically mentioned in the French definition of scope and this is one service which has been outsourced and so meter reader salaries are no longer covered by the industry agreement.

Although there is not a sectoral agreement covering private companies in Germany, there is an issue about the scope of company agreements as some employers are attempting to outsource services like IT to subsidiary companies and then have them covered by separate collective agreements.

At the end of the document we list the NACE industry codes for the electricity and gas sectors. These are the codes that are used for gathering statistics at European level. However, these definitions have also been part of a debate about sector agreements in Hungary and Italy where there have been disputes over coverage.

Definitions of scope in electricity sector agreements -

Austria The Austrian collective agreement simply states that it covers employers who are members of the VEO employers' organization and it then gives some exceptions. VEO membership is voluntary and includes any organization whose activities are covered by the main legislation (EIWOG) and these cover broadly the production, transmission, distribution and transmission of electricity.

Relevant paragraphs from the collective agreement with rough translation into English below:

(1) Der Kollektivvertrag gilt: Räumlich: Für das Gebiet der Republik Österreich Fachlich: Für alle Mitgliedsunternehmungen des Verbandes der Elektrizitätsunternehmen Österreichs, mit Ausnahme

a) der Elektrizitätswerke im Nebenbetrieb. Als Elektrizitätswerke im Nebenbetrieb sind anzusehen: 1. Elektrizitätserzeugungsanlagen, die Bestandteile anderer industrieller Unternehmungen sind und Strom als Fremdbezieher abgeben und die gemeinsam mit dem Hauptbetrieb von den Interessenvertretungen der Arbeitgeber und Arbeitnehmer des Hauptbetriebes betreut werden. 2. Elektrizitätserzeugungsanlagen, die Bestandteile von anderen gewerblichen Unternehmungen sind, wie Mühlen, Sägewerke u Ä, die Strom an Fremdbezieher abgeben und von den Interessenvertretungen der Arbeitgeber und Arbeitnehmer des Gewerbes des Hauptbetriebes betreut werden.

b) der Gemeinde-Elektrizitätswerke. Der Kollektivvertrag gilt hingegen für Gemeinde-Elektrizitätswerke, die am 31. August 1954 den Kollektivvertrag für Angestellte der privaten EVU angewendet oder ihn zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt übernommen haben. Gemeinde-Elektrizitätswerke, auf die der Kollektivvertrag bisher keine Anwendung fand, können diesem beitreten, wenn sie dem Verband die verbindliche Erklärung abgeben, sich den Bedingungen des Kollektivvertrages zu unterwerfen, und dies vom Verband im Einvernehmen mit der Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten zur Kenntnis genommen wurde.

(1) The collective agreement applies:

Geographically: to the territory of the Republic of Austria

Professionally: to all member companies of the association of electricity companies in Austria, with the exception of

a) Electricity operations that are secondary to the company's main activities

When electricity operations are secondary means where: 1. Electricity generation plants are parts of other industrial concerns and supply electricity to external recipients and where the interests of employers and workers are represented in the main industry of the operation. 2. Electricity generation plants that are part of other commercial ventures, such as mills, sawmills etc., providing energy to external recipients and where the interests of employers and workers are represented in the main industry of the operation.

(b) municipal electricity companies The collective agreement applies to municipal electricity utilities, that signed up to the agreement on 31 August 1954 or at a later date. Municipal electricity utilities, to which the collective agreement does not apply, can join the association if they make a binding declaration that they will abide by the terms of the collective agreement as confirmed by the association and in agreement with the union of private employees.

Belgium Relevant paragraphs from the regulations covering the joint committee 326 with rough translation into English below.

Commission Paritaire 326 est compétente pour les travailleurs en général et leurs employeurs, à savoir les entreprises dont les activités consistent en la production, le transport, le comptage ou le commerce des energies électrique ou gazière, et les laboratoires concernant ces activités.

On entend par: 1° le transport des énergies électrique ou gazière: a) la livraison physique des énergies électrique ou gazière par les réseaux de transport et de distribution; b) les centres de coordination technique destinés au transport des énergies électrique ou gazière;

2° le comptage: les activités concernant le rassemblement, la mise à jour, le traitement et la mise à disposition des données de comptage relatives à la consommation;

La Commission paritaire de l'industrie du gaz et de l'électricité n'est pas compétente pour le trading. Le trading d'énergie comprend le négoce d'énergie en gros entre producteurs, traders ou intermédiaires financiers.

Committee 326 - the Joint Gas and Electricity Committee covers workers and their employers in companies whose activities include the production, transportation, metering or sales of electricity or gas, and research facilities covering these activities.

The following definitions apply: 1 ° the transport of electric energy or gas: a) the physical delivery of electric energy or gas by transmission and distribution networks; b) the technical coordination centres for the transport of electric energy or gas;

2 ° metering: activities regarding the collection, updating, processing and provision of metering data on consumption;

The Joint Gas and Electricity Committee does not cover energy trading, the trading between large energy producers, traders or financial intermediaries.

Netherlands Relevant paragraphs from the collective agreement with rough translation into English below:

Onder werkingssfeer van deze CAO vallen ondernemingen -of nader aan te geven onderdelen daarvan- die activiteiten uitvoeren en diensten verrichten die in hoofdzaak betrekking hebben op het produceren, transporteren, distribueren (door middel van een vaste infrastructuur) en/of verkopen van energie (inclusief verlichting, warmte, koude en beveiliging), alsmede daaraan gerelateerde producten en diensten, zoals meterdiensten, energieadvisering en commerciële energiediensten gericht op het beheer, onderhoud en/of exploitatie van toestellen en apparatuur.

The scope of this CAO includes companies or parts thereof, whose activities and services are mainly related to the production, transport, distribution (through a fixed infrastructure) and/or sale of energy (including lighting, heating, cooling and security) and related products and services, including meter services, energy consultancy and commercial energy focused on the management, maintenance and/or operation of appliances and equipment.

The official overview: http://tinyurl.com/ovarmu

France Relevant paragraphs from the regulations with rough translation into English below:

La branche professionnelle des IEG rassemble l'ensemble des entreprises dont les salariés relèvent du statut national du personnel des IEG, c'est-à-dire les entreprises qui exercent, en France*, les activités de transport, de distribution et de production d'électricité et de gaz naturel. Avec l'ouverture à la concurrence, de nouveaux opérateurs pourront intervenir dans ce périmètre. Attention les entreprises qui ne sont que commercialisateurs ne font pas partie de la branche des IEG exemple Energie Direct mais les salariés commercialisateurs de EDF SA font partie la branche car EDF SA est producteur Un statut de Branche Le statut du personnel des industries électriques et gazières est depuis l'origine (1946), un statut de branche et non d'entreprise. Toutefois, la branche professionnelle des IEG n'a été organisée en tant que telle qu'avec la loi du 10 février 2000 transposant en droit français la directive européenne sur l'ouverture du marché de l'électricité.

Sont aujourd'hui regroupés dans la Branche des entreprises nationales et locales de distribution d'électricité et/ou de gaz : des producteurs nationaux ou indépendants d'électricité; des transporteurs d'électricité ou de gaz Ces entreprises, qui sont au nombre de 138 (au 31 décembre 2006), présentent des formes juridiques diverses et variées : société anonyme, régies municipales, sociétés d'économie mixte, SICAE, SARL.

La représentation des entreprises Ces entreprises sont représentées par deux groupements d'employeurs :  l'Union française de l'électricité (UFE)  et l'Union nationale des employeurs des industries gazières (UNEmIG).

Entreprises relevants du statut National des IEG EDF SA, RTE, ERDF-GRDF, GDF SUEZ, GRT, CNR, SHEM and SNET. Plus toute les regies municipales de distributions et regies de petites production.

The IEG sector includes companies whose employees are covered by the national statutory IEG employment regulations, that's to say companies operating in France which are responsible for the transport, distribution and production of electricity and gas. As the sector is now open to competition, new companies can enter the sector.

Note that companies that are only involved in trading, such as Energie Direct, are not part of the sector but the employees of EDF's trading division are part of the sector because EDF is an energy producer.

Sectoral statutory regulations The employment regulations covering the gas and electricity industries date from 1946 and are sectoral and not company-based. However, the IEG sector has only been organised as such since the implementation of legislation on 10 February 2000 that transposed the European directive on energy liberalisation into French law.

Today the sector covers national and local companies involved in electricity and gas distribution: national or independent producers of electricity, companies responsible for the transportation of electricity and gas. These companies, numbering 138 (as at 31 December 2006) are of various and diverse legal entities – public limited companies, municipal companies, companies with mixed ownership, including public bodies (sociétés d'économie mixte), collective agricultural electricity companies (SICAE) and limited companies (SARL).

Company representation These companies are represented by two groups of employers: · the French Electricity Association (UFE) · the National Association of Employers in the Gas Industry (UNEmIG).

Companies covered by the national IEG statute: EDF SA, RTE, ERDF-GRDF, GDF SUEZ, GRT, CNR, SHEM and SNET; plus all the municipal distribution companies and publicly-owned small producers

Industry codes - NACE classification NACE is the European system of industry classification for the purposes of collecting statistics. There have been discussions between EPSU affiliates and the employers in Hungary and Italy over the scope of their sector agreements and the NACE codes have been used as a reference point by the employers.

35 Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

35.1 Electric power generation, transmission and distribution This group includes the generation of bulk electric power, transmission from generating facilities to distribution centres and distribution to end users.

35.11 Production of electricity This class includes: operation of generation facilities that produce electric energy; including thermal, nuclear, hydroelectric, gas turbine, diesel and renewable

This class excludes: production of electricity through incineration of waste, see 38.21

35.12 Transmission of electricity This class includes: operation of transmission systems that convey the electricity from the generation facility to the distribution system

35.13 Distribution of electricity This class includes: operation of distribution systems (i.e., consisting of lines, poles, meters, and wiring) that convey electric power received from the generation facility or the transmission system to the final consumer

35.14 Trade of electricity This class includes: sale of electricity to the user; activities of electric power brokers or agents that arrange the sale of electricity via power distribution systems operated by others; and operation of electricity and transmission capacity exchanges for electric power

35.2 Manufacture of gas; distribution of gaseous fuels through mains This group includes the manufacture of gas and the distribution of natural or synthetic gas to the consumer through a system of mains. Gas marketers or brokers, which arrange the sale of natural gas over distribution systems operated by others, are included. The separate operation of gas pipelines, typically done over long distances, connecting producers with distributors of gas, or between urban centres, is excluded from this group and classified with other pipeline transport activities.

35.21 Manufacture of gas This class includes: production of gas for the purpose of gas supply by carbonation of coal, from by-products of agriculture or from waste; and manufacture of gaseous fuels with a specified calorific value, by purification, blending and other processes from gases of various types including natural gas

This class excludes: production of crude natural gas, see 06.20; operation of coke ovens, see 19.10; manufacture of refined petroleum products, see 19.20; and manufacture of industrial gases, see 20.11

35.22 Distribution of gaseous fuels through mains This class includes: distribution and supply of gaseous fuels of all kinds through a system of mains

This class excludes: (long-distance) transportation of gases by pipelines, see 49.50

35.23 Trade of gas through mains This class includes: sale of gas to the user through mains; activities of gas brokers or agents that arrange the sale of gas over gas distribution systems operated by others; commodity and transport capacity exchanges for gaseous fuels

This class excludes: wholesale of gaseous fuels, see 46.71; retail sale of bottled gas, see 47.78; and direct selling of fuel, see 47.99

35.3 Steam and air conditioning supply 35.30 Steam and air conditioning supply This class includes: - production, collection and distribution of steam and hot water for heating, power and other purposes; production and distribution of cooled air; production and distribution of chilled water for cooling purposes; and production of ice, for food and non-food (e.g. cooling) purposes

This is taken from the Structure and explanatory notes in NACE Rev. 2 – Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community

Energy sector collective bargaining guidelines

richard — 2009-10-09T08:29:17Z

At the meeting on 6 October 2009 the CBCWE group discussed the possibility of developing a set of collective bargaining guidelines that would be relevant across the region and provide a framework for future work. The initial focus of debate was a set of guidelines agreed by ver.di's energy sector collective bargaining committee.

Ver.di's collective bargaining committee has agreed that further competition to undermine collective agreements should be resisted.

1. Collectively agreed weekly working hours should not be increased.

2. Pay structures should be maintained and developed in the interests of workers.

3. It is a collective bargaining priority to integrate subsidiary companies into existing company collective agreements.

4. When companies are restructured (as a result of outsourcing) collective agreement coverage should be maintained.

5. When new collective agreements are negotiated they should be at least at the level of the TV-V public sector agreement. The future level of the TV-V should be compared with private company agreements – EON, RWE, EnBW, Vattenfall.

6. Working time in the TV-V agreement covering Eastern Germany should be the same as in the West.

7. Starting pay (for example, after training) should only cover the first 12 months of employment (longer periods on starting pay are possible if they are on the basis of agreement on the taking on of apprentices and the starting pay is limited to new recruits).

8. Training should be developed and protected.

9. Agreements should be negotiated on the number of apprentices to take on as well as the number of apprentices to be employed.

10. There should be no splitting off of trainees from general developments in pay.

11. Agency work is to be reduced and limited. Insofar as agency work is introduced in company, it should be agreed on the basis of equal pay for equal work.

12. There will be a nationwide vote on pay claims. The energy negotiating committee will make a recommendation on pay claims in the energy sector to the union's collective bargaining committee.

13. The duration of collective agreements (pay agreements and salary scales) should, as far as possible, be brought into line.

14. Action should be taken to prevent employers abandoning collective agreements.

It is intended draw up a recommendation for a standard bonus covering trade union members.


Ver.di's Collective Bargaining Guidelines - Leitplanken DE

Ver.di's action plan on agency work

richard — 2009-10-09T08:08:38Z

There has been an increase in the use of agency workers and fixed-term contracts in the sector and the group has been debating how to deal with this issue. In Germany, ver.di has agreed a plan of action that focuses on limiting the use of agency workers as well as ensuring that they are represented by the union and on the works council.

In May 2009 ver.di's energy sector executive committee agreed a programme of action in response to the increasing use of agency workers in the sector. A survey by the union revealed that overall agency staff accounted for less than 5% of employment. However, it was clear that while municipal companies tended to use agency workers to deal with temporary staff shortages, energy companies with private shareholders were more likely to use agency staff and in customer service centres and shared-service centres their use could rise to 40% of the workforce.

Ver.di also noted from the survey that agency staff were paid less than permanent workers and that the pay rates of the agency work collective agreements were 35%-40% below those in energy sector collective agreements. The executive committee agreed a plan to limit agency work and to secure equal pay for agency workers, noting that by getting equal pay it would remove the key incentive for using agency staff, namely the lower cost.

The seven-point action plan:

1. Acceptance of agency work to cover for staff shortages that can arise when workers are absent because of sickness, parental leave, military service etc.. However, its use is rejected where the main aim is to replace permanent staff, to undermine collective agreements and so reduce staff costs.

2. Use co-determination rights – works councils not only have the right to be consulted over the employment of agency staff but they also have responsibilities for agency staff on social matters. Ver.di calls on all works councils to use these rights to limit the use of agency staff and to help secure equal pay.

3. Agency workers have the right to vote in works council elections from day one of working in a company if they are being taken on for at least three months.

4. Use of section 99 of the Works Council Act to block use of agency staff – works councils could use their rights to block to limit the use of agency staff on the basis that this is threatening to push out permanent workers in areas where particularly large numbers of agency workers are being taken on. It may also be possible to argue for this on the basis of unequal treatment although this is cannot be so clearly applied using section 99.

5. Ver.di calls on all works councils to negotiate an agreement on the use of agency staff with a view to setting a limit on the proportion of agency staff in the total workforce – with 5% as a target. In some cases it may be advisable to set this limit not only for the workforce as a whole but also for specific areas and departments. Works councils should also try to get the principle of equal pay integrated into an agreement. Ver.di has a model agreement than can be used.

6. Ver.di also calls on the energy sector collective bargaining committee to try, where possible, to negotiate collective agreements that regulate the use of agency staff and to require employers to maintain the principle of equal pay. The energy sector collective bargaining committee will monitor the development of such agreements.

7. Ver.di shop stewards and works councils should keep agency staff informed. The union's plans can only be successful if they have member support and members get involved. It is necessary to keep agency workers informed about the union's plans and activities, with the aim also of recruiting agency workers into membership. At the same time we have to reassure permanent staff that the union's work for agency staff has the ultimate aim of maintaining the jobs and employment conditions of permanent employees.

Energy unions debate pay, collective agreements and the impact of smart meters

catherine — 2009-10-07T14:51:20Z

(7 October 2009) EPSU affiliates from the energy sector in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands met in Brussels yesterday to discuss common issues of concern in collective bargaining.

They heard about the French unions' struggles over the summer to secure an improvement on a 0.3% pay offer and the current refusal of the employers to get involved in any real social dialogue. The news from the Netherlands was more positive with a short-term (10-month) agreement and a 1.3% pay increase seen as a tactical response to bargaining in the recession with the prospect of next year's negotiations taking place in more favourable circumstances. The group also discussed possible further work on salary comparisons and representatives of ver.di provided some background on the union's energy collective bargaining committee's decision to adopt a set of negotiating guidelines.

There was a wide-ranging discussion about the scope of sectoral collective agreements and the extent to which they covered all the areas of activity in which unions were organising or trying to organise. Part of the debate covered the employment and social impact of the introduction of smart meters which participants agreed would have significant implications both for energy sector workers and consumers.

This was the fifth meeting of the group which agreed to meeting again in March 2010.

How to improve coordination of collective bargaining in (Central West) Europe in the energy sector 24-25 March 2009 (Brussels)

catherine — 2009-03-12T14:44:25Z

This workshop will be held at the :

European Economic and Social Council (EESC)

Conference room is called ‘JDE 61'

99, rue Belliard

B - 1040 Brussels

Tel: +32 2 546 90 11 - Fax: +32 2 513 48 93

Hotel

Hotel Belmont ***

Boulevard d'Anvers/Antwerpse laan,10

B-1000 Bruxelles/Brussel

Tel :0032(0) 2 227 15 40 - Fax: 0032(0) 2 227 15 41

info@belmont.be - www.hotel-belmont.be

meeting documents

27 January 2009: Improving the co-ordination of collective bargaining in the energy sector in Central and West Europe

catherine — 2009-02-04T15:54:17Z

ITUH, Brussels, 27 January 2009

Introduction

Jean Claude le Duaron introduced the meeting, emphasising the need for comparable information as basis of any potential co-ordination. Jan Willem Goudriaan provided some background on why EPSU affiliates from the six countries were working together, explaining that the development of the internal market and increasing internationalisation of companies had suggested that there were many common pressures facing energy unions in these countries.

Co-ordinating collective bargaining

Vera Glassner gave on overview of recent pay trends across Europe, contrasting pay moderation in the eurozone to mainly higher pay increases in other EU countries. She noted the particular case of Germany which had experienced falling real wages, although negotiated pay rises were higher in 2008. Vera explained how the EMF had developed its co-ordination. It had taken European-wide initiatives on training and working time but had also developed eight regional collective bargaining networks, four of which were particularly active.

She explained that there were different national perceptions of co-ordination as well as differences between federations. The EMF focused on its inflation plus productivity guideline for pay increases while some unions in the chemicals sector within EMCEF think a wage formula is too rigid. There were different approaches elsewhere with UNI-Europa affiliates adopting less formal arrangements in finance sector while in the construction sector there was more focus on lobbying and regulation. Overall Vera concluded that bargaining co-ordination had had a very limited impact and suggested that there were greater possibilities to make progress within specific geographic areas and within specific sectors like energy.

Several points were made in the discussion that followed:

Effective co-ordination is a challenge
Aim is not to undermine national autonomy
Importance of winning argument with the employers that what happens in other countries and other companies is important
Employers do their own comparisons and benchmarking and also apparent that they operate differently in different countries with the example of Electrabel's indusrial relations approach in Germany similar to how EON operates in Belgium, for example
Impact of outsourcing and takeovers involves transfer of workers and establishing the impact on pay and conditions of the transferred workers is increasingly important
Role of sectoral agreements can be important when dealing with outsourcing and takeovers and mergers but there are issues around the scope of agreements
Co-ordination and comparing pay and pay trends can be important in responding to threat of social dumping
Discussion reflected the importance of trying to co-ordinate even if haven't identified main issues yet

Pay comparisons

Richard Pond presented some trends in five major companies, looking at wages and salaries as a percentage of turnover and profit and also average pay. There were significant downward trends in the wage share in all five companies on both measures although particularly wages and a percentage of profit. There was a steady rise in average earnings across all companies except EON where the figures were more erratic than the other companies.

It was noted that employment numbers were falling as profits were increasing and another background element in some companies was a failure to maintain investment. It was suggested that a broader group of companies, including southern and Nordic employers, should be investigated to see if similar trends emerged. It was also suggested that one or two of the biggest sub-contractors could be examined to see if they revealed much lower wage shares.

The original proposal to compare anonymous payslips for specific jobs had proved difficult for some colleagues. It was also pointed out that the monthly figures failed to reflect 13th or 14th monthly payments and holiday pay and so a comparison of annual pay would be more appropriate. However, comparisons of annual salary raised the difficulty of comparing gross pay in contrast to the information on payslips that revealed both gross and net pay. Further investigation was required over the best way of comparing pay and of clarity over the competences of the jobs being compared. The Wage Indicator project said that they would be able to provide some information for the meeting in March and discuss how their system might be used to make pay comparisons in future. Both payslips and annual pay information could be used in the first steps to compare wages along with information on where jobs fit into pay scales.

It was recognised that pay comparability was a difficult issue but that it was worth taking a number of initial steps to see what was possible and then see what progress could be made from there.

Fixed-term and agency work

There was considerable variation in employers' use of fixed-term and agency work across different countries. In the Netherlands company reports revealed relatively high levels of costs for temporary workers while a survey of German firms showed fixed-term and temporary workers each accounting for just under 5% of the workforce. There was concern that this was the beginning of a trend that required close monitoring. Agency workers were likely to be covered by different and inferior collective agreements. The combined impact of outsourcing and temporary and agency workers was undermining collective agreements. In Belgium the collective agreement and legislation meant that the use of fixed-term workers was quite tightly regulated but it was more difficult to monitor use of agency workers. In France, use of fixed-term and agency work was not a major issue although there was a tendency to use agency workers in call centres and although their employment costs were higher in the short term, in the longer term user firms would avoid the increasing costs associated with career development. In Luxembourg use of temporary workers was limited – mainly in administrative roles – and tightly regulated by collective agreement and legislation. The use of agency work also raised the question of skill shortages and some companies' reliance on agency staff to fill skill gaps. It was agreed to continue to monitor trends and to compare rules and regulations on the employment of agency and temporary workers.

Outsourcing

There were no reports of specific agreements regulating outsourcing but it was again acknowledged as key issue for the group to continue to debate and investigate. One important question was the coverage of sectoral agreements and whether there was a specific definition of the sector. The trend in several companies was for “peripheral” services like cleaning and IT to be outsourced and so employees would be covered by a different collective agreement. Colleagues, particularly those from Belgium, France and the Netherlands were asked to provide a definition for the next meeting. All colleagues were asked to provide details of any concrete actions in response to outsourcing. The new electricity restructuring toolkit agreed by the social partners includes a chapter on outsourcing and this would be discussed at the next meeting to see to what extent it could be used in negotiations with employers.

Training

Richard Pond gave a brief introduction on training noting that recent agreements in Germany in particular specified not only the number of apprenticeships that the employer should provide each year but also the number of trainees that should be taken on after completing their apprenticeship. Latest figures showed RWE with 3,000 apprentices in Germany and Austria while EON has 2,350. The energy collective agreement in the Netherlands specified apprentice numbers while the annual reports from Verbund since 2000 It was suggested that training was potentially a good issue for co-ordination with employers also concerned about skills shortages. It was pointed out that the growth of green jobs raised a particular demand for training. Effective trade union initiatives on training could also provide a good opportunity trade union recruitment.

Next meeting

Dates confirmed for the next meeting on 24-25 March which would take place at the Ecosoc building in Brussels. This would be organised by ETUI-REHS and it was important that colleagues completed and returned the ETUI-REHS participation forms. The next meeting would have to decide whether the group would continue to meet and how this would be organised and funded.

In summary, the agenda for the next meeting would include: a possible contribution from the Wage Indicator project; wage and profit analyses covering more companies; further reflections on fixed-term and agency work and on training and apprenticeships; an overview of overtime rules and a look at how to respond to outsourcing. The overall aim will be to consider what kind of co-ordination on these issues might be practicable and effective.

Presentation: How to improve the co-ordination of collective bargaining in (Central West) Europe in the energy sector


Presentation 21.01.09