Public service trade unions – effective intervention in the European Semester
This conference which is part of a two-year project on Public service trade unions - effective intervention in the European Semester. The aim of the conference is to provide a first opportunity to discuss the impact of the European Semester on public services and the extent to which public service trade unions have been able to play a role in the process at both national and European levels.
The project has been organised with the support of the ETUCE, the European Federation representing education workers and with research provided by the OSE research organisation and the University of Nottingham both of which have considerable knowledge of the European Semester.
The project will focus on five country case studies – Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy and Latvia – and contributions from EPSU and ETUCE affiliates in these countries along with their national trade union confederations will be an important element of the project and the conference.
The conference will also feature contributions from the ETUC, European public service employer organisations and the European Commission. The full list of speakers will be available at the end of August.
The conference sessions will cover:
- Public services and the European Semester – with its major focus on public finances and wide ranging recommendations on public service reform, the European Semester has a lot to say about public services but is it more about costs and efficiency than quality and access?
- Trade unions and the European Semester – the European institutions have made positive statements about the need to increase the role of the social partners in the European Semester, but have things changed for trade unions and do they have more influence at European level?
- Five panels for each of the country case studies
- European Social Dialogue and the European Semester – the European Social Dialogue includes committees that cover millions of public service workers in local and regional government, central government administrations, hospitals and health services and education – but what kind of role do these committees play in the Semester process?
- Moving towards a more social Semester? The latest round of country reports all include assessments related to the European Pillar of Social Rights. Does this reflect real progress or are social issues still subordinated to economic priorities?
online registration for our members (If you are interested in attending but are not from an EPSU affiliate then please contact Sylvie Dewambrechies at [email protected])
