Brussels, 22/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 21 December, European social partners reached an agreement defining the common minimum standards on the right of workers and their union representatives to be informed and consulted in central government administrations when the organisation of their work is subject to changes. They are now calling on the European Commission to use this right and put forward a directive on the subject.
This legally binding agreement was signed in Brussels by the Committee for European Sectoral Social Dialogue, which includes employers' representatives (EUPAE) and employees' trade unions (TUNED, EPSI and CESI), during the meeting organised at the Commission. This is the result of months of negotiations based on the “quality framework” in anticipation of the changes and restructuring that the Commission presented in December 2013 (see EUROPE 10984).
The agreement can only be applied in the exceptional circumstances contained in national legislation and consists of two sections. One focuses on information, with the employers making a commitment to provide the trade unions with any data relevant to the analysis of the possible consequences of the proposed measures for change. Nondisclosure obligations are also possible too. The other, involves consultation, which aims to provide a guarantee for social dialogue to enable the trade unions “to try to have the possibility to influence” the proposed measures.
The section on consultation covers health and safety at work, working time and the balance between professional and private life, as well as the changes to working conditions resulting from the modification of organisational structures or when jobs are under threat. All of them involve guidelines on pay, training, gender equality and measures tackling discrimination, as well as social protection that can be the subject of information and consultation.
The agreement affects all civil servants and employees on contracts with EU central government administrations, with a few exceptions. This agreement will not apply to certain posts in public administration. This particularly affects employees working in areas related to national security, public order and legal bodies. Other exemptions could also be introduced to national legislation but these must subsequently be justified. Member states are also being encouraged to extend the rules defined in this agreement to local and regional governments.
Social partners at the Committee for Social Dialogue will assess the application of this agreement at least every two years and will particularly focus on the different exceptions included in the agreement. They now want the Commission to transpose it into a directive in compliance with Articles 154-155 of the TFEU. “Mr Juncker (the President of the European Commission, Ed) now needs to turn his words into concrete action by introducing an EU Directive, and so demonstrate his commitment to creating a truly Social Europe” explained the General Secretary of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), Jan Willem Goudriaan. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)