ANNUAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SURVEY

Transcription

1 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT UNI-EUROPA GRAPHICAL ANNUAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SURVEY An analysis by: Professor John Gennard Strathclyde Business School University of Strathclyde GLASGOW United Kingdom February 2004

2 Contents PAGE Executive Summary Introduction The Purpose of the Survey Guidelines on Co-ordination of Collective Bargaining The Questionnaire/Interviews Economic and Political Environment Surrounding the Collective Bargaining Round Dates and Duration of Agreements Bargained Changes in : Quantitative Aspects Meeting the Quantitative Aspects of the Guidelines Bargained Changes in : Qualitative Aspects Progress to Meeting the Guidelines for Bargaining Claims (2000- inclusive) Conclusions Figures: Guidelines on Common Collective Bargaining Objectives Agreed at Collective Bargaining Conference Qualitative Aspects Changes to Agreements : Further Vocational Training Arrangements Tables: Elements in the Questionnaire/Interviews Dates of Agreements Quantitative Aspects of the Guidelines: Bargained Wage Rises Progress on Achieving Guidelines (2000- inclusive) Achieving the Guideline Target: Number of Countries Meeting the Guidelines (2000- inclusive)

3 Executive Summary In the collective bargaining round with national graphical employers organisations: The economic and political environment was difficult. In almost all the countries, prices for graphical work fell, plants closed, unemployment increased and union membership fell. Six affiliates achieved improvements to employment conditions under collective agreements negotiated before the start of. Fourteen affiliates negotiated revisions to their existing collective agreements. Five affiliates were party to one year agreements, seven to two year agreements and two to three year agreements. The majority of revised agreements became effective in either January of April. The average annual bargained wage increase for graphical workers was +2.9% compared with +3.1% in 2002, +3.3% in 2001 and +4.1% in In six countries (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) graphical workers received bargained pay increases in excess of the annual rate of inflation. This compares with nine in 2002, 11 in 2001 and eight in

4 In three countries (Belgium, Norway and Sweden) graphical workers obtained bargained wage rises in excess of the Guideline of the sum of inflation plus national productivity increases. This compares with two in 2002 and one in both 2001 and One affiliate was within one percentage point of the Guideline whilst a further three were within 1 to 1.5 percentage points. The largest gaps between bargained pay increases and the sum of inflation plus national productivity increases were in the Netherlands, Italy, Cyprus and the UK. The average shortfall was minus (-) 1.6 percentage points. Nine affiliates succeeded in negotiating improvements to the qualitative components of their collective agreements compared to nine in 2002 and 11 in In Sweden, important reductions in working time were negotiated in the Swedish newspaper sector whilst Belgium and Denmark saw improvements in paid holiday entitlement. Improvements in vocational training arrangements were implemented. In Ireland, amongst other things, the national minimum wage and redundancy compensation payments were increased. Taking the four collective bargaining rounds (2000-) together, the average increase in the bargained wage is +3.4 compared with an average inflation plus productivity increase of +4.8% giving a shortfall from the Guideline of minus (-) 1.4%. 3

5 The four year averaged bargained wage increase for graphical workers in general, exceeds the four year average annual rate of increase in inflation. The real purchasing power of graphical workers has thus, over the four year period, improved. 4

6 Introduction This report analyses the outcome of the collective bargaining round with national graphical employers organisations against the common bargaining agenda agreed at the Annual Conference on Collective Bargaining held in Elsinor, Denmark on 29 and 30 march. It also evaluates, over the period inclusive, the progress made by affiliates in meeting the Guidelines for Common Collective Bargaining Objectives. The Purpose of the Survey The main aims of the Annual Collective Bargaining Survey are fourfold. First, it provides an overview of collective bargaining developments in the year. Second, it monitors progress on meeting the collective bargaining agenda objectives for the year as established by the Annual Conference on Collective Bargaining. Third, it helps the Conference to identify, and to establish, the key priorities for the next collective bargaining round with national graphical employers organisations. Finally, it improves the exchange of information on national bargaining rounds amongst affiliates and assists UNI-Europa Graphical (UNI-EG) to influence discussions at the ETUC level about defining and co-ordinating a common bargaining agenda. 5

7 FIGURE 1: Guidelines on Common Collective Bargaining Objectives Agreed at the Collective Bargaining Conference 1. Provision of Information a. Update regularly the Collective Bargaining Survey b. Reporting of national agreements concluded to UNI-EG c. Assessment of the bargaining results d. Continuous monitoring e. All affiliates are required to participate in the Annual Collective Bargaining Conference 2. On-Line Network a. b. All affiliates should participate in the on-line information network established in the dialog-on project The network will aim to further improve co-ordination and co-operation between affiliates 3. Social Dialogue All affiliates are required to exert pressure on national employer organisations to engage in European Social Dialogue/Collective bargaining. 4. Regional Collective Bargaining Support for regional/sub regional collective bargaining committees 5. Guidelines for Bargaining Claim Wages plus qualitative aspects (+) should be at least equal to inflation plus national productivity (+) Cost Effective Qualitative Aspects a. Working Hours Standard working time should not exceed 1,750 hour per year for a full-time worker. The maximum amount of paid overtime should not exceed 100 hours per year after which compensatory time off (at bonus rates) arrangements should be encouraged as an alternative to paid overtime and maximise employment opportunities. b. Further Vocational Training (FVT) - Link between FVT, improvement of qualifications and wage increases - Establishment of an annual plan for FVT - Obligation on employers to inform each employee of the FVT plan - Individual right of each employee to FVT - Full union involvement in FVT - Cost free for employees (except with union consent or by collective agreement) - All time spent on FVT is working time normally it should take place during normal working hours (specifications could be made by collective agreement) - Establishment of monitoring committees in companies c. Equality - Preparation of negotiating aims/guidelines with equality officers - Equal pay audits to establish existing situations regarding pay - Concrete steps to achieve equality of wages between men and women as stipulated in the European Union Treaty - Family friendly policies for good work/life balance (+) Non Cost Effective Qualitative Aspects a. b. c. Vocational training Equality including race, disability and gender Health, safety and working environment 6. Transnational Companies CBC will be asked to look at transnational company level co-ordination 7. Transnational Solidarity 6

8 Guidelines on Co-ordination of Collective Bargaining These were agreed at the Annual Conference on Collective Bargaining held in March. The Guidelines are shown in Figure 1. This conference made, relative to the 2002 bargaining round, two major changes to the Guidelines. First, it was agreed to add a new clause on online network to read: a. All affiliates should participate in the on-line information network established in the dialog-on project. b. The network will aim to further improve co-ordination and co-operation between affiliates. Second, the Conference agreed minimum standards to be established with respect to equality issues. In the establishment of bargaining aims/guidelines, affiliates are to involve equality officers. Before entering into bargaining, affiliates are to undertake equal pay audits to establish that existing differences between the pay of men and women are based on objective factors. Affiliates are also to take concrete steps to achieve equality of wages between men and women as stipulated in European Union Treaties. It was also agreed that affiliates should seek to changes existing agreements so that they contain family friendly policies which provide for good work/life balance. The Questionnaire/Interviews The data upon which this report is based was collected by a questionnaire sent in May to UNI-EG affiliates. The Survey contained four new questions relative to that used for the 2002 Survey. A question was included on the number of workers covered by the 7

9 agreement. The three other new questions related to the involvement of equality officers in the determination of bargaining aims, the use of equal pay audits to establish the objectivity of existing differences between the pay of men and women and the steps taken by affiliates to achieve equal pay between men and women. Useable returns were received from 18 affiliates. Of these, 14 related to new agreements bargained in and four to changes becoming effective under agreements signed prior to. Useable information was collected from one further affiliate by face-to-face interviews with the appropriate unions key negotiators. The face-to-face interview was conducted at the UNI-EG Annual Meeting held in Madrid, Spain in November. Interviews were also conducted at the same venue with five affiliates to obtain clarification of information provided in the returned questionnaires. Table 1 shows the different bargaining issues covered in the questionnaire, and raised in the face-to-face interview. A tick ( ) denotes useable information showing a change in in that bargaining issue. An (X) denotes there were, in, no changes bargained to the existing collective agreement on that issue. In, for 7 affiliates there were no changes to the qualitative elements of existing collective agreements. 8

10 Country Start and Finish Date of Agreement TABLE 1 Elements in the Questionnaire/Interviews Number of Workers Covered (000s) Quantitative Elements Bargained Wage Increase Working Time Qualitative Elements Holidays Vocational Training Equality Issues Health & Safety Austria X X X X X X Belgium X X X X Bulgaria No national agreement negotiated in Croatia X X X X X X Cyprus X X X X X X Czech Republic No national agreement negotiated in Denmark X X X X X Finland X X France X X X X X Germany X X X X X Iceland X X X X X X Ireland X X X X X Italy X X X X Netherlands X X X X X Norway X X X X X X Portugal X X X X X X Spain X X X X X X Sweden X X X X X United Kingdom X X Others

11 Economic and Political Environment to the Bargaining Round The economic and political environment surrounding the bargaining rounds was, from a trade union perspective, difficult. In Austria, the graphical industry witnessed rising unemployment, falling prices, plant closures and redundancies and over capacity. In France, the economic situation in the industry was no better with many plant closures and/or restructuring giving rise to redundancies. In addition, a right wing government was attempting to undermine worker rights. In Germany, the graphical employers reported a 5% reduction in turnover relative to 2002 and a 6% fall in staffing levels. They also demonstrated an increasing tendency of complying less and less with collective agreements and adopting anti-union positions. In addition, the German government introduced legislation making it easier for employers to declare employees redundant. The Italian graphical sector also went through a difficult period whilst in the Netherlands some 40% of graphical employers claimed to be operating with financial losses. The Dutch employers organisation also complained that saw of the loss of significant amounts of work to the lower cost areas in Europe. In Portugal, was a difficult year for the graphical industry. The government introduced a New Labour Code in which it refused to address trade union concerns over a clause which permits small companies the right to refuse to re-instate or re-engage workers found to be wrongfully dismissed. 10

12 In the UK, the economic situation of the graphical industry was also problematic. Many companies closed down or declared significant numbers of redundancies. This situation, in part, was attributable to a loss of confidence due to instability in the world economy which, amongst other things, caused spending on advertising to collapse. The economic slowdown in the graphical sectors of the different countries of Europe has meant a decline in jobs and a further decline in the level of trade union membership. Dates and Duration of Agreements 1. Longer Term Agreements Signed Before In, in seven countries, affiliates were working under collective agreements negotiated before the start of the year and which were over one year in duration (see Table 2). In Denmark and Iceland, four year agreements, both due to terminate at the end of February 2004, were in operation. In Cyprus, a three year agreement, terminating on 31 December was in operation. This was also the case with the general print sector of Spain. The paper carton sector of Spain and the general print and the packaging sectors of Sweden continued to operate under agreements signed in Agreements Made in 2002 In collective bargaining round, affiliates in five countries (Austria, Croatia, France [newspaper sector], Sweden [newspaper sector] and the UK) concluded one year agreements. Agreements to operate for three years were concluded in the Republic of Ireland and in the newspaper and press agencies sector of Italy. Two year agreements were concluded in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy (one agreement in the graphical sector and one agreement in paper and packaging sector), the Netherlands and Norway. In the Czech Republic, 11

13 however in, no national agreement for pay in the graphical industry was concluded (see below). TABLE 2 Dates of Agreements Country Dates and Duration of Agreements No. of Workers Covered (000s) Austria Five year agreement. General overall agreement ( ) One year agreement (1/4/03-31/3/04) 16 Belgium Two year agreement (1/1/03-31/12/04) General Print Two year agreement (1/1/03-31/12/04) - Newspapers 15 2 Croatia One year agreement (1/11/02-1/12/03) 1.5 Cyprus Three year agreement (01/1/01-31/12/03) na Czech Republic No national agreement reached na Denmark Four year overall agreement (01/3/00-29/2/04) na Finland Two year agreement (1/2/03-15/2/05) 14 France One year agreement (1/1/03-31/12/03) Regional Newspapers na Germany Two year agreement (1/4/03-31/3/05) 100 Iceland Four year agreement (1/3/00-28/2/04) 1 Ireland Three year agreement (1/1/03-31/12/05) na Italy Two year agreement (1/1/03-31/12/04) General Print Two year agreement (1/7/03-30/6/05) Paper/Packaging Four year agreement (1/1/03-31/12/06) Newspapers Netherlands Two year agreement (1/2/03-31/1/05) 40 Norway Two year agreement (1/4/03-31/3/04) 6 Portugal No national agreement in General Print and Daily Newspapers na Russia Two year 6 months agreement (19/3/01-31/12/03) na Spain Sweden Two year agreement (1/1/01-31/12/03) Paper/Carton Three year agreement (4/5/01-3/5/04) General Print One year agreement (1/4/03-31/5/04) Newspapers Two year agreement (1/4/02-30/4/04) General Print Two year agreement (1/4/02-30/4/04) - Packaging Switzerland No national agreement trying for new agreement since 2000 na United Kingdom One year agreement (24/4/03-23/4/04) General Print Of the 23 collective bargaining agreements listed in Table 2, in eight a wage increase became effective in January, in two in February, in three in March, in seven in April, and one in May, in July and in November. As in previous surveys, this indicates the co-ordination of the anniversary dates of agreements is a feasible option as for most agreements this occurs in the first five months of the calendar year with peaks in January and April. 12

14 Bargained Changes in : Quantitative Aspects Column four of Table 3 shows the percentage bargained increase in pay achieved at the national level for graphical workers in 15 European countries. The range of percentage increases in wages varies from a low of +1.5% in France to a high of +5.1% in Norway. The average annual bargained wage increase for graphical workers in was +2.9% compared with +3.1% in 2002, +3.3% in 2001 and +4.1% in In six countries Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden graphical workers received bargained pay increases in excess of the annual rate of inflation. This compares with eight countries in TABLE 3 Quantitative Aspects of the Guidelines : Bargained Wage Rises Guideline Determinants Increase in Inflation Difference Column 4 Minus Column 3 Country Increase in Inflation Bargained National + Wage Productivity Productivity Increase (%) (%) (%) (%) Austria Belgium Cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Iceland Ireland +4.9 n/a n/a +3.1 n/a Italy Netherlands Norway Spain Sweden United Kingdom Average Qualitative Aspect Improvement No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes In Austria, a 1.8% increase in wages for graphical workers was negotiated. There is also an overall agreement dealing with issues other than pay. This was initially concluded in

15 and was last revised in 2000 and is due for review again in In Belgium, under two year deals, both to terminate at the end of 2004, general print and newspaper workers both received wage increases. The former received 4% plus a bonus of 100 euros whilst the latter received 4% plus a bonus of 1%. In Cyprus, graphical workers receive each January and July an automatic increase in pay equal to the annual rate of increase in inflation at those times. It is paid as a bonus and is not consolidated into the basic rate. In addition, a further annual increase arises from collective bargaining. In, the annual increase in pay from these two sources for graphical workers was 3.2%. In Finland, graphical workers received a pay increase of 2.9%. This was granted under a new national incomes policy Accord signed in December 2002 by the central Finnish social partner organisations. This agreement, concluded after some weeks of negotiations, runs from 1 February to 15 February In order to facilitate the new national incomes policy Accord, the Finnish government announced, across the board, income tax cuts of 0.2% and some reduction in employee unemployment insurance contributions. In France, a revised wage agreement for regional daily newspaper workers which provided for a 1.5% annual increase payable in three instalments 1% from April, 0.3% from August and 0.2% from October was implemented. In the general print sector, as in 2002, increases in pay were negotiated at company level and the average pay increase achieved was 1.9%. In Germany, a revised pay agreement was agreed after a series of very difficult negotiations and the imposition by Verdi (Medien), of industrial sanctions. Under the agreement, there 14

16 was a pay pause for three months followed by an increase of 1.5% from 1 July. Eleven months later, on 1 June 2004, graphical workers will receive a further increase of 1.7%. The agreement, which will expire on 31 March 2005, also extends, until 31 July 2007, the partial early retirement agreement concluded in In Ireland, following government intervention, a new National Pay Accord was agreed. Talks had broken down in December 2002 over the issue of pay and the right to union representation. Government intervention led, in January, to agreement between the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation. The new agreement entitled Sustaining Progress runs for three years from 1 March. It provides for an increase in pay in the private sector of 7% over 18 months payable in three phases. 3% is payable for the first nine months, a further 2% for the next six months and a further 2% for the final three months. In addition, the agreement provides for improvements in statutory redundancy pay, an increase in the statutory minimum wage from 1 January 2004 to 7 euros per hour (previously 6.35 euros) and for improvements in the procedures by which trade unions can seek to represent their members. While the overall agreement is to last for three years, the proposed pay improvements only cover an interim period of 18 months. Negotiations on the pay increases to apply in the second 18 month period are to begin in March In Italy, the successful negotiation of wage increases was achieved in three sectors. In January, in the graphical sector, a two year agreement providing for an increase of 5.7% over the period came into effect. In the same month, the same terms also became operative in the paper and packaging industry. In April, a new collective agreement for the newspaper and press agencies sector was signed. As well as a 4.6% wage increase over two years the 15

17 deal provides for an increase in employers occupation and social security contributions, examination of a new job classification system and the creation of various new joint committees. The 4.6% increase in wages is payable in three instalments 1 May, 1 January 2004 and 1 July In May, the employees received a lump-sum payment of 60 euros to compensate for the delay between the expiry of the previous collective agreement and the commencement of the new agreement. In the Netherlands, graphical workers received a 2% pay increase payable in two stages. One percent became available on 1 February and a further 1% increase payable on 1 November. In January 2004, the parties will review whether additional increases should become payable in The agreement is to operate for two years from 1 February to 31 January In Norway, the Norsk Grafisk Forbund negotiated a 5% wage increase with effect from 1 April. The agreement is to run for one year. In Spain, under a three year agreement signed in January 2001, employees in the paper and carton sector received a pay increase of 3.9%. This was roughly in line with the agreement, made at the end of January, between the four central social partner organisations to accept for one year a commitment to moderate pay increases. Although an exact figure for pay growth was not laid down, the agreement stated pay growth should be in line with the forecast for inflation plus productivity giving a target of 3%. 16

18 In Sweden the newspaper sector saw a revised collective agreement providing for a 3.2% increase over a 14 month period beginning on 1 April. On an annual basis, the increase is estimated to be 2.5%. In the United Kingdom, changes to the national agreement in the English and Welsh graphical industry saw a wage increase of 2.8%. The agreement also committed the GPMU and the employers organisation to establish a joint review body under an independent chairperson, to address the key employment relations issues facing the graphical industry in the medium to long term. Such issues are to include existing and proposed employment legislation and the scope, context and format of the national agreement. Central and Eastern Europe Group Returns were received from three affiliates assigned to this group. In the Czech Republic negotiations to replace the three years agreement that terminated on 31 December 2002 broke down without agreement. The negotiators had agreed that the country s national minimum wage should be introduced into the agreement as the basic minimum monthly rate of pay. The agreement, however, could not be signed, and implemented, because one member firm of the employers organisation objected. The constitution of the employers organisation permits any member firm the right to veto any decisions. Majority rule does not prevail and decisions can only be implemented if they have the unanimous support of all members. At the time of writing, however, the union and the employers organisation are trying to persuade the employer concerned to end their objection. 17

19 In Croatia, employees in the graphical industry received no increase in wage. They are operating under a long term agreement that began on 14 June 1997 and which is due to expire on 1 December. In Slovakia, graphical workers received a bargained wage increase of 7% but the annual rate of increase in inflation was 9%. Meeting the Quantitative Aspects of the Guidelines Table 3 shows the pay bargaining outcomes against the agreed guidelines of achieving bargained wage improvements at least equal to the sum of increases in the annual rate of inflation plus the annual rate of increase in national productivity. In three countries (Belgium, Norway and Sweden) the guideline target was exceeded. For Norway, this was for the second successive year. Austria was within one percentage point of achieving the guideline target whilst three other countries (Finland, Spain and France) were within 1.5 percentage points of the target. In seven other countries (Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, UK and Cyprus) the bargained wage increases achieved in were over 1.5 percentage points below the guideline. As already mentioned above, in six countries the bargained pay increase exceed that of the annual increase in the rate of inflation. Real wages (ie the purchasing power) of graphical workers in these countries thus improved in. Table 3 shows an average shortfall of minus (-) 1.6 percentage points between bargained pay increases and the sum of inflation plus productivity increases. The largest shortfalls were found in the Netherlands (-3.2), Italy (-2.9), Cyprus (-2.8), the UK (-2.4) and Denmark (-2.2). However, of the 15 countries in Table 3 below, the Guidelines, six negotiated improvements to the qualitative aspects of their collective agreements. The costs to 18

20 employers of these improvements are not easy to calculate but if an estimate is made then in the case of Finland, the value of the qualitative changes probably more than offsets the gap between the achieved bargained wage increase and the sum of inflation plus productivity increases. Bargained Changes in : Qualitative Aspects Figure 2 shows the qualitative changes to collective agreements coming into effect in. The number of countries in which such changes were negotiated was nine compared with the same number in 2002 and 11 in Reduced Working Time France saw the implementation of a new law making it, amongst other things, easier for companies to implement the legislation governing the 35 hour week. This legislation does not abandon the principle of a 35 hour week but creates more flexibility for the social partners to negotiate the conditions under which working time reductions are implemented at individual company level. The flexibility is to be achieved in that henceforth overtime worked will attract financial payment, unless a sectoral or company agreement, allows for compensation in the form of time off. This replaces the former system, under which the first four hours of weekly overtime were compensated by time off and the following four hours attracted a payment. A new agreement signed in the newspaper industry of Sweden provided, from 1 April, for a reduction in weekly working time of 12 minutes. This figure, when annualised, is the equivalent to one day less work per year. It also brings the newspaper sector into line with the general printing and packaging sectors (see Collective Bargaining Survey, 2002). 19

21 In Germany the provision negotiated in 2000 whereby employees aged 55 and over are entitled to work part-time on the basis of a voluntary contract was extended for a further three years to 31 July Increase in holiday Entitlement In Belgium, agreements in the newspaper and general printing sectors provided for increased paid holiday entitlement based on length of service with the company, In Denmark, from 1 May, graphical workers became entitled to one additional day of paid holiday. This now gives an annual figure of six weeks paid holiday entitlement plus bank holidays. Improvements in Vocational Training Arrangements In Italy, the new collective agreement for graphical workers established a specific joint training agency responsible for workers vocational training and re-qualification within the sector s existing national vocational training arrangements to deal with the continuous technological change in the sector. Job classifications will also be adjusted to technological development. In Finland, the social partners agreed to measures to safeguard the career development and professional knowledge of shop stewards and of health and safety representatives. In addition, they will have access to computers, internet and connections to assist them in their role as trade union representatives. 20

22 FIGURE 2 QUALITIATIVE ASPECT CHANGES TO AGREEMENTS : Reduction in Working Time Increases in Holiday Entitlement Improvements in Vocational Training Equality Provisions Health and Safety Provision Other Significant Changes France Legislation introduced to create more flexibility for the social partners to implement the 35- hour week. Sweden Weekly working hours in the newspaper sector reduced by 12 minutes per week. Germany Extension of three years (to 31 July 2007) to provision whereby employees aged 55 and over are entitled to work on a part-time basis. Belgium Increased holidays based on length of service Denmark One additional day of paid holiday entitlement from 1 May to give 6 weeks paid holidays per year Italy A joint training agency established to deal with the continuous technological evolution of the graphical sector. An evaluation of the current job classification system to be undertaken United Kingdom Employers recognised the entitlement of union learner reps to reasonable paid time off and facilities to carry out their statutory duties Finland Safeguard of career development and professional knowledge of shop stewards and health and safety reps Finland Partial care leave scheme extended to cover a child s first years at school United Kingdom Employers acceptance of their duties under the government s new flexible working regulations, allowing eligible employees to request changes in their working time arrangements for child care reasons Denmark Law changed so that establishment of a Safety Committee is only required if there are 10 employees in a workplace Finland The time Health and Safety Reps spend carrying out their duties is now subject to a minimum limit Belgium Improved sick pay Finland Minimum compensation of trade union reps (in addition to salary) increased to 48 euros per month Ireland Improved procedures whereby unions can seek to represent their members. Improved statutory redundancy pay Italy Various new joint committees set up. Increased employers occupational social security provision. The Netherlands Joint Task Force set up to evaluate labour costs in the sector and to analyse pension costs United Kingdom Workplace reps to have access to and internet facilities where resources permit to assist them in carrying out their duties and for communication with members and full-time officers

23 In the United Kingdom, the graphical employers have agreed that workplace Union Learner Representatives be given reasonable time off and access to facilities to carry out their statutory duties. Equality Provision Finland, witnessed a reform of the existing system of partial care leave, under which the parents of young children may reduce their working hours on an unpaid basis during the year in which the child first starts school. This right applied to only one parent. From 1 January, the leave was extended upto a child s second year at school. Furthermore, both parents are now eligible for partial care leave and are entitled to an allowance of 50% of the current parental allowance. In the United Kingdom, the graphical employers recognised their obligations under the Government s Flexible Working Regulations, which permit eligible workers to request changes in childcare reasons in their working time arrangements. Health and Safety Provision In Denmark, with effect from 1 January, the law (not the collective agreement) changed so that establishing a Safety Committee only becoming an obligation on an employer if they employ 10 employees or more. Previously, the limit was the employment of five or more workers. In Finland, the National Incomes Policy Accord agreement provided that the full-time health and safety representatives spend carrying out their duties would be subject to a minimum limit. 22

24 Other Significant Changes Graphical and newspaper workers in Belgium, received improved sick pay provisions whilst in Finland the minimum compensation paid (in addition to normal salary) by employers to trade union representatives was increased to 48 euros per month. In the graphical industry of the Netherlands, the social partners established a joint Task Force to evaluate the sector s labour costs and to analyse the cost of employers providing pensions. In the United Kingdom, the employers agreed that trade union workplace representatives should have access to and internet facilities in companies, where resources permit, to assist them in carrying out their duties and for effective communications with their members and full-time officers. In Italy, the revised graphical industry collective agreement provided for a 1.4% increase in employers occupational social security contributions which are allocated to the supplementary national pension funds. The supplementary pension contribution rate is now equal to 18.55% of total taxable income (18.05% is paid by the employer and 0.5% by the worker). In addition, under the agreement, new issues are added to the list of subjects that the print industry social partners discuss at an annual meeting. These new issues are the production and employment situation, information on new activities, such as the free press and the re-organisation and new technology implementation plans of companies that have different corporate names but a single owner. 23

25 In Ireland, the national tripartite agreement entitled Sustaining Progress also contains a provision to amend the Redundancy Payments Acts to improve statutory redundancy payments. The former rates of half week s pay for each year served under the age of 41 and one week s pay for each year served over 41 are to be increased to two weeks pay per year of service regardless of age and with the bonus week retained in the calculation of payments. The agreement also commits the Irish government to introduce legislation to support the right to organise and be represented. Unions are able to obtain a binding Labour Court determination on pay and conditions against employers who refuse to recognise workers right to be represented by a union. Vocational Training Arrangement The 2002 Collective Bargaining Conference in Rome established minimum standards to be achieved by affiliates in the area of vocational training arrangements. The Collective Bargaining Questionnaire collected information on the extent to which these minimum standards already exist. The results are shown in Figure 3. In the majority of the countries, employers are under no obligation to inform each employee of the further vocational training plan envisaged for them. It is also the majority situation that there is no full union involvement in vocational training arrangement decisions. There is also an absence of committees to monitor the quality and quantity of vocational training provided. Most graphical workers in Europe, however, do receive vocational training free of charge and in normal working hours. 24

26 FIGURE 3 Further Vocational Training Arrangements Country Annual Plan Right of Union FVT FVT For Employee to Involvement in Provided Free of Takes Place in FVT FVT FVT Charge Working Hours Link between FVT Improvement of Qual and Wage Increases Employer to Inform each Employee of FVT Plan Existence of Monitoring Committees Austria Yes No No No No Yes Yes No Belgium No Yes No Yes No No Yes No Croatia No No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Czech No No No No No Yes Yes No Denmark No response Finland No Yes Yes No Yes No No No France Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Germany No No No No No No No No Iceland No response Ireland No response Italy No No No No No No No No Latvia No No No Yes No Yes Yes No Netherlands Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Norway No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Portugal No response Spain No response Sweden No response Switzerland No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes UK No No No No Yes Yes Yes No Total Responses Yes = 3 No = 11 Yes = 6 No = 7 Yes = 5 No = 8 Yes = 6 No = 7 Yes = 5 No = 8 Yes = 9 No = 4 Yes = 8 No = 5 Yes = 4 No = 9

27 Progress to Meeting the Guidelines for Bargaining Claims : Inclusive Over the past four years, graphical unions across Europe have experienced difficulties in achieving bargained wage settlements that equal the sum of increases in the annual average rate of inflation plus average annual increases in national productivity. Table 4 provides data for 14 European countries for the bargaining rounds of inclusive. Taking the four year period as a whole, only in Sweden in 2000, in the Netherlands in 2001, in Germany and Norway in 2002 and in Belgium, Norway and Sweden (newspaper sector) in did graphical unions negotiate bargained wage increases which exceeded this Guidelines target. In two (2000 and ) of the four years, however, a number of affiliates achieved bargained pay increases which came within 0.5 of a percentage point of the target (see Table 5). In, no affiliates came this close although one (Austria) was only one percentage point below achieving the Guideline target. In, a greater number of affiliates were between one and 1.5 percentage points below the guideline target than in the previous three collective bargaining rounds. 26

28 27 TABLE 4 Progress on Achieving Guidelines : 2000 Inclusive Country Guideline Determinants Qualitative Aspects Inflation + Productivity Bargained Wage Increase % Difference Col 4 Minus Col 3 Increase in Inflation % Increase in National Productivity % AUSTRIA Av BELGIUM Av CYPRUS Av DENMARK Av FINLAND Av GERMANY Av , IRELAND Av na na na na na n/a ITALY Av LUXEMBOURG Av na na na na na na na na na na NETHERLANDS Av RWAY Av SPAIN Av SWEDEN Av UNITED KINGDOM Av

29 TABLE 5 Achieving the Guideline Target : Number of Countries Bargaining Round Guideline Achieved Percentage Point of Target Wage Increase Within: 1.5 Percentage Points of Target One Percentage Point of Target In Excess Of 1.5 Percentage Points of Target Total Table 6 shows for each of the four bargaining rounds separately and for the four as a whole the average increase in inflation, the average increase in national productivity, the average increase in the bargained wage and the average shortfall from the inflation plus productivity increases Guideline. Relative to 2002, saw a significant deterioration in the shortfall from the Guideline target. This undoubtedly reflects the difficult economic and political environment in which the bargaining round took place. Taking the four collective bargaining rounds together, the shortfall from the Guideline is minus (-) 1.4 percentage points. TABLE 6 Meeting the Guidelines : Inclusive (n = 14) Year (1) Annual Increase in Inflation (2) Annual Increase in National Productivity (3) Annual Increase in Inflation Plus (4) Bargained Wage Increase (5) Difference Col (4) Minus Col (3) (%) (%) Productivity (%) (%) Average

30 Table 4 shows that for six countries (Cyprus, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the UK) saw a trend in the reduction, in successive years, in the gap between the bargained wage increases and Guideline target reversed. Over the last three wage bargaining rounds in Spain and Finland, wage settlements have moved, in each successive year, closer towards achieving the Guideline target. In the Netherlands, the trend has been the reverse, namely the size of the gap has been increasing. In Norway, Sweden and Belgium, over the four year period, the gap in successive years between bargained wage increases achieved and the Guideline target has not only been narrowed but in was exceeded. Table 6 shows that taking the period inclusive, the average bargained wage increase (+3.4%) achieved for graphical workers in Europe through national level bargaining, exceeded the average annual increase in inflation by +0.4%. The real purchasing power of graphical workers has, on average, been maintained. In the bargaining round in six countries graphical workers received annual pay increases greater than the rate of increases in inflation. In the four year period, this is the lowest number of affiliates to achieve this. The corresponding figures for 2002 were nine, for and 2000 eight. Conclusions The collective bargaining round took place in a difficult economic and political environment. This has been reflected in the bargaining outcomes for the year in that: The average level of bargained wage increase was the lowest achieved in any of the last four years. Relative to previous years the lowest number of affiliates achieved a bargained wage increase in excess of the annual average increase in inflation 29

31 Relative to previous bargaining rounds, the number of affiliates obtaining changes to the qualitative aspects of their collective agreements was lower than 2001 but the same number as for The number of affiliates, relative to previous years, negotiating qualitative changes to their agreements such that when a financial estimate is made of the costs of these to employers they at least equal, if not exceed, the gap between the bargained wage increase and the sum of inflation plus national productivity increases, was the lowest. The gap between the bargained wage achieved and the Guideline was almost double that for In six countries the trend in three successive years, towards narrowing the gap between the bargained wage increase and the Guideline target was reversed. The year, however, also witnessed some important achievement. The highest number ever of affiliates succeeded in negotiating bargained wage increases in excess of the sum of inflation increases plus productivity increases. Taking the last four collective bargaining rounds in total the average bargained wage increase exceeds the average annual increase in inflation by 0.4 per cent. The real purchasing power of graphical worker over the last four years has thus been maintained. Wage increases that equal inflation rises can be seen as an absolute floor under which wage advancements should not fall. The assessment of progress towards meeting the Guideline of pay increases, at least equal, to the sum of average annual increases in inflation plus national productivity should not be seen as a test where there are winners and losers/those above or below the Guideline. It has always to be borne in mind that the co-ordinated collective bargaining policy is based around a Guideline, not a mathematical formula. The Guideline must be seen as a step in a process 30

32 in which affiliates discuss with each other the issues relevant to collective bargaining. Affiliates should use the Guideline as a framework in which to explain to each other why their wage demands/settlements deviate from the sum of inflation and productivity. 31