Promoting Social Dialogue in Health Care in Bulgaria

Sofia, 2 June 2017

On 2 June 2017 the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bulgaria, together with EPSU's Bulgarian affiliate "Federation of Trade Unions - Health Services" (FSZ - CITUB), organised a Discussion Forum in Sofia (see the agenda here) to identify and address the challenges for effective social dialogue in Bulgaria. EPSU and HOSPEEM contributed to the exchange in highlighting the role and illustrating main outcomes of the the EU-level social dialogue in the hospital sector. The Discussion Forum was chaired by Dr. Ivan Kokalov, Chairman of FSZ - CITUB.

The Secretary General of HOSPEEM (European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association), Tjitte Alkema, and Mathias Maucher, Policy Officer "Health and Social Services", EPSU (European Federation of Public Service Unions) contributed to the event (see presentation Tjitte Alkema in EN and BG and presentation Mathias Maucher in EN and BG). They explained the potential and limits of EU-level sectoral social dialogue and gave examples of outcomes of their joint work (as summarised in the table giving an overview of the key outcomes of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Hospitals/Health Care 2006-2016) that could be of particular use for Bulgaria.

Mathias Maucher focused on the method of working and key outcomes in the field of occupational safety and health. The first example selected was the Joint Framework Agreement on the prevention from injuries and infections with medical sharps that became Directive 2010/32/EU, the second the prevention, management and reduction of musculoskeletal disorders and of psycho-social risks and stress at the workplace (to a large extent dealt with in the framework of two projects 2014-2016 and 2017-2018). One main outcome of the work so far are a series of take-home messages for the social partners and a list of planned or possible future joint initiatives included in the first project's " Summary Document" (available in EN, FR, DE, ES, RU and SV). He also elaborated on the added value European sectoral social dialogue can have for national employers' associations and trade unions and the links and potential cross fertilisations between EU-level cross-sectoral and sectoral social dialogue.

On 1 June 2017 the representatives of EPSU and HOSPEEM had met with Bulgarian Health Minister Prof. Nikolai Petrov.

Bulgaria