Trade unions in the LO blue-collar confederation report positive results from the extension of collective agreements in some sectors. The extension means that agreements cover employers even if they are not members of employer organisations that have signed up to agreement. A majority of responses to a survey indicate that extending collective agreements has been beneficial and that trade union officers have been able to use their rights under these agreements to get information on pay and conditions in sub-contracting. So far agreements in construction, shipbuilding, agriculture and cleaning have been extended to all employers in those sectors.
Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
And at > the Arbeidslivet website (NO)
Extending collective agreements to stop social dumping
More like this
Childcare agreement extended
Public services union ABVAKABO is pleased that the Ministry of Social Affairs has ruled that the childcare collective agreement should be made generally binding. The agreement currently covers 80% of workers in the sector and is negotiated with the Mogroep employers’ organisation. The smaller BKN employers’ association had argued that it should not be covered by the agreement but was overruled. The extension of the agreement will mean higher pay and longer holidays for many employees of BKN companies. [Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/cao/bericht/bkn_wel_onder_cao
Defending and extending collective bargaining
(June 2016) The European Trade Union Institute has published a policy brief looking at the mechanism of collective bargaining extention. With collective bargaining under attack in some countries, the policy brief reviews the different forms as well as the spread and current practice of extension mechanisms across Europe. It then discusses the relationship between extension mechanisms, collective bargaining coverage and union density and finally formulates political recommendations of how to ensure the future of multi-employer bargaining through extension procedures. Read more at ETUI (EN).
Swedish-Latvian anti-social dumping agreement
In the light of the recent controversy over attempts by a Latvian building company to undercut the Swedish collective agreement in the construction sector (the Vaxholm case), the two main union federations have come together to resist social dumping. The co-operation agreement says the federations will step up their work together and encourage improved links between their member organisations. [Read more at > LO->http://www.lo.se/home/lo/home.nsf/unidView/7906F4F2F15D46FBC12570A800491F00] In the meantime Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevey has appeared before the European Parliament