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 December

2 Contents PAGE Executive Summary The Purpose of the Survey Guidelines on Co-ordination of Collective Bargaining The Questionnaire/Interviews 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 - Inclusive Conclusions Figure 1: Figure 2: Table 1: Table 2: Table 3: Table 4: Table 5: Table 6: Guidelines on Common Collective Bargaining Objectives Qualitative Aspect Changes to Agreements : Elements in the Questionnaire/Interviews Dates of Agreements Quantitative Aspects of Guidelines : Wage Rises Progress on Achieving Guidelines: - Inclusive Achieving the Guideline Target: Number of Countries Meeting the Guidelines: - Inclusive

3 Executive Summary In the collective bargaining round with national graphical employers organisations: In 12 countries, improvements to existing employment conditions were implemented under collective agreements negotiated before the start of. Nine affiliates negotiated revisions to their existing collective agreements. Eight affiliates were party to one year agreements whilst one was party to two agreements both of two years duration. The majority of these revised agreements became effective in either January or April. The range of national pay increases negotiated for graphical workers varied from a low of +1.3% to a high of +6.7%. The average annual wage increases for graphical workers was +3.1%. In 9 countries, affiliated unions negotiated pay increases in excess of the increase in the rate of inflation. In two countries (Germany and Norway) graphical workers succeed in negotiating pay rises in excess of the sum of inflation plus national productivity increases. In 8 other countries, pay increases almost equal to this sum were achieved. The largest gaps between pay increases and the sum of inflation plus national productivity 2

4 increases were in Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Latvia and Portugal. The average shortfall was minus 1.4 percentage points. In 5 countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden) the shortfall was probably more than offset by negotiated improvements to qualitative aspects of the agreements. In Italy, Spain and Sweden, important reductions in working time were negotiated whilst Cyprus and Denmark saw improvements in paid holiday entitlement. In Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark significant improvements in existing vocational training arrangements were negotiated and implemented. An analysis of the progress made by affiliates over the three collective bargaining rounds - inclusive in meeting the Guidelines for bargaining claims shows: One country (Sweden) in, one country (the Netherlands) in and two countries (Germany and Norway) in, succeeded in gaining wage increases in excess of the sum of average annual increases in inflation and productivity. Taking the three collective bargaining rounds together, the average increase in the bargained wage is +3.5% compared with an average inflation plus productivity increase of 4.8% giving a shortfall of minus 1.3% 3

5 In 5 countries, the gap between the wage increase bargained and the sum of inflation plus productivity increases declined year on year. In no country did the gap widen year on year. The three year averaged bargained wage increase bargained for graphical workers as a whole equalled the three year average annual rate of increase in inflation. The real purchasing power of graphical workers has over the last three year period been maintained. The number of countries in which a wage increase in excess of the increase in inflation was achieved was 6 in, 6 in and 8 in. Significant improvements have been made over the period - in increased holiday entitlement, particularly in the Nordic countries. Other than in France, only modest progress has been in reducing weekly hours of work and in limiting the amount of paid overtime worked. Important gains have been made in vocational training in Norway (a new training scheme), Denmark (increased paid time off for training purposes), Sweden (increased paid time off for training purposes) and Belgium (increased financial contribution from employers to finance training). Significant improvements have been gained in the area of child care, parental leave, care of the elderly and part-time employees. 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 Rome, Italy on 9 and 10 March. It also evaluates the progress made by affiliates in meeting the guidelines for bargaining claims contained in the Guidelines on European Co-ordination of Collective Bargaining (see Figure 1). The Purpose of the Survey The 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. 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 bargaining round, two major changes to the Guidelines. First, it was agreed that the maximum amount of paid overtime for a graphical worker in Europe should not exceed 100 hours per year. Any 5

7 further hours of overtime working are to be compensated by time off in lieu (at bonus rates) arrangements as an alternative to paid overtime and to maximise employment opportunities. FIGURE 1: Guidelines on Common Collective Bargaining Objectives for Agreed at the Annual Conference on Collective Bargaining 1. Provision of Information a. Update regularly the Collective Bargaining Survey b. Reporting of national agreements concluded to UEG c. Assessment of the bargaining results d. Continuous monitoring e. All affiliates are required to participate in the annual Collective Bargaining Conference 2. Social Dialogue All affiliates are required to expert pressure on national employer organisations to engage in European social dialogue/collective bargaining. 3. Regional Collective Bargaining Support for regional/sub regional collective bargaining committee. 4. Guidelines for Bargaining Claims Wages plus qualitative aspects should be at least equal to inflation plus national productivity: a. Working Hours standard working time should not exceed 1,750 hours 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 to 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 by collective agreement). all time spent on FVT is working time. Normally it should take place during normal working hours (eg exceptions could be made by collective agreement) establishment of monitoring committees in companies. c. Non Cost Effective Qualitative Aspects 5. Transnational Companies equality including race, disability and gender. health, safety and working environment. Collective Bargaining Committee will be asked to look at transnational company level co-ordination. 6. Transnational Solidarity 6

8 Second the Conference agreed minimum standards to be established in further vocational training arrangements. The aim is to establish the right for every graphical worker in Europe to receive appropriate vocational training. The minimum standards envisage full trade union involvement in devising training plans, require vocational training to be free of charge to the employee and that such training takes place in company working time. The standards also seek an annual training plan for the company/establishment and for each worker, an obligation on the employer to inform each employee of such plans and the establishment in companies of monitoring committees. 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 a change in the structure of the questionnaire relative to previous surveys. For the fist time, the questionnaire was divided into two sections. Part A sought information on changes to collective agreements as a result of national level collective bargaining with national graphical employers organisations in the calendar year. Part B collected information on changes to the employment conditions of the members of affiliate unions introduced in but resulting from collective agreements concluded prior to the calendar year. Eighteen useable questionnaires were returned. Useable information was collected from a further five affiliates by telephone and face-to-face interviews with the appropriate union s key negotiators (see Table 1). The face-to-face interviews were conducted at the UNI- Graphical Conference held in the Hague, the Netherlands in October and the UNI-EG First Conference also held in the Hague in October. Interviews were also conducted at 7

9 the same venues to obtain from the appropriate affiliate union official, 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 and telephone interviews. 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 11 affiliates, there were no changes to the qualitative elements of existing collective agreements. TABLE 1 Elements in the Questionnaire/Interviews Start & Finish Date Quantitative Elements Qualitative Elements Country of Wage Working Holidays Vocational Equality Health Others Agreement Increases Time Training Issues & Safety Austria X X X X X X Belgium X X X X Croatia X X X X X X Cyprus X X X X Czech Rep. X X X X X X Denmark X X X X X Finland X X X X X X France X X X X Germany X X X X X X Iceland X X X X X X Ireland X X X X X X Italy X X X X Latvia X X X X X X Luxembourg X X X X X X Netherlands X X X Norway X X X X X Poland No National Agreement Exists Portugal X X X X X X Russia X X X X X X Spain X X X X X Sweden X X X Switzerland No National Wage Agreement Exists United Kingdom X X X X X 8

10 Dates and Duration of Agreements 1. Longer Term Agreements Signed Before In, in 12 countries, affiliates were working under collective agreements negotiated before the start of that 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 whilst in Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg, Russia, Spain and Sweden (Newspaper Sector) two year agreements (all concluded in ) were in operation. Those in Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg and Sweden will be subject to re-negotiation in 2003 but in the other two countries this will not happen until In Cyprus and the Czech Republic, three year agreements were in operation. The Czech agreement falls due for re-negotiation in 2003 but in the case of Cyprus not until In Ireland, at the end of March, the pay increase due under the final stage of the Prosperity and Fairness Agreement concluded at the confederal level in May was implemented. Currently, the Irish government, the IBEC and ICTU are exploring whether a new multi-sector agreement be negotiated. 2. Agreements Made in In the collective bargaining round, affiliates in nine countries (Austria, Croatia, France [newspaper sector], Germany, Italy [newspaper sector], Netherlands, Norway, Portugal [nondaily newspaper sector] and the United Kingdom) concluded one year agreements. Two year agreements were concluded in the Swedish general print and packaging sectors. However, in Switzerland, in, no national agreement for pay in the graphical industry was concluded as had been the case in and. Again, as in, no national agreements for the general print and daily newspaper industries were concluded in Portugal. However, an agreement was concluded covering the Portuguese regional press. In three countries 9

11 (Norway, Germany and Portugal), agreements were only reached after dispute situations arose with the respective employers organisations whilst in Sweden threatened intervention by the government led to a settlement. In Norway and Germany, the affiliates undertook strike action against the employers over the annual wage negotiations whilst in Sweden (packaging and general sectors) threatened intervention by the national government s industrial peace keeping services was necessary before agreement could be reached. Of the 26 collective agreements analysed in the survey (see Table 2), in eight a wage increase became effective in January, two in February, four in March, seven in April and one in May. Wage increases also became effective in August in one agreement (the Swedish newspaper sector) and in November in another (the printing and publishing industry of Croatia). This indicates the co-ordination of the anniversary dates of agreements is a feasible option as most of the annual bargaining round in the graphical industries of Europe occurs in the first five month of the calendar year with peaks in January and April. 10

12 TABLE 2 Dates of Agreements Country Dates and Duration of Agreements Austria One year agreement (01/4/02-31/3/03) Belgium Two year agreement (01/01/01-31/12/02) General Print Two year agreement (01/01/01-31/12/02) Newspapers (daily) Croatia One year agreement (01/11/02-31/10/03) Cyprus Three year agreement (01/01/01-31/12/03) Czech Republic Three year agreement (29/1/99-31/12/02) Denmark Four year agreement (01/03/00-29/02/04) Finland Two year agreement (01/2/01 31/01/03) France One year agreement (01/01/02-31/01/02) Newspaper Sector only Germany One year agreement (01/04/02-31/03/03) Iceland Four year agreement (01/03/00-28/02/04) Ireland Two year 9 month agreement (01/04/00-31/03/02) Italy One year agreement (wages) Newspaper Sector only (1/1/02-31/12/02) Three year (non wages) agreement (01/01/99-31/12/02) Four year (non wages) agreement (01/01/00-31/12/03) Luxembourg Two year agreement (01/03/01-28/02/03) Netherlands One year agreement (01/02/02-31/01/03) Norway One year agreement (01/ /03/03) Portugal One year agreement (01/01/02-31/12/02) regional newspapers No national agreement in general print and daily newspapers Russia Two year, 6 month agreement (19/03/01-31/12/03) Spain Two year agreement (01/01/01-31/12/03) Paper and Carton Sector only Sweden Three year agreement (04/05/01-03/05/04) Graphical Sector One year, 7 month agreement (01/08/01-31/03/03) Newspaper Sector Two year agreement (01/04/02-30/04/04) General Print Two year agreement (01/04/02-30/04/04) Packaging Sector Switzerland No National Wage Agreement trying to negotiate a new agreement since United Kingdom One year agreement (24/04/02-23/04/03) Bargained Changes in : Quantitative Aspects Column four of Table 3 shows the percentage increase in pay negotiated in national pay bargaining for graphical workers in 19 European countries. The range of percentage increases in wages received varied from a low of +1.3% in France to a high of +6.7% in Cyprus where graphical workers received an automatic rise equal to the increase in the rate of inflation (+3.5%) plus a further +3.2% increase from collective bargaining. The average annual wage increases bargained for graphical workers in was +3.1% compared with +3.3% in and +4.1% in. In nine countries Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, 11

13 Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK graphical workers received bargained pay increases in excess of the annual rate of increase in inflation. TABLE 3 Quantitative Aspects of the Guidelines : Wage Rises Country Austria Belgium Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom Guideline Determinants Increase in Inflation (%) Increase in National Productivity (%) n/a Inflation + Productivity (%) n/a Bargained Wage Increase (%) Difference Column 4 Minus Column n/a Qualitative Aspect Improvements No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No No No Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes In Austria, saw the successful negotiation of a revised collective agreement in the graphical sector providing for an increase of 2.7%. In Belgium under two year deals, both to terminate on 31 December, general print and newspaper workers both received in a 2% increase in wages under the country s Wage Indexation arrangements. As a result of bargaining with their respective national employers organisation, general print employees received an additional 1.1% increase and the daily newspaper workers an extra 1.2%. In Cyprus, graphical workers receive each January and July an automatic increase in pay equal to the rate of increase in inflation at those times. In, these two increases 12

14 amounted to +3.5%. It is paid as a bonus and is not consolidated into the basic rate. In addition, a further 3.1% increase in pay was received under a three agreement negotiated in thus giving an annual increase for of 6.7%. In France, saw in the newspaper sector, negotiation of a pay increase of 1.3%. In the general print sector increases in pay were negotiated at company level. The year also saw the continued implementation of the 35 hour working week in companies employing less than 20. In September, however, the new French government introduced a decree permitting an increase in the maximum amount of paid overtime from 150 hours per year to between 180 and 200. The final figure will be decided over a period of 18 months, by sector in negotiations between unions and employers. This is an implicit restoration of the 39 hour working week which existed before the 1999 Law which introduced the 35 hour working week. In Germany Verdi (medien) submitted a claim for a pay increase of 6.5%. The employers offered a 2.8% increase arguing this was the most they could afford. Following industrial action, however, by Verdi graphical members the employers made an acceptable improved offer of 3.4%. The industrial action was strongly supported. Many newspapers failed to be printed although some did produce limited emergency editions. In Ireland in March, a 4% increase for graphical workers was received under the final stage of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) which has operated since April. The social partners in Ireland are now considering whether a follow-on deal to PPF should be concluded. The employers peak body (the IBEC) favours a new agreement and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) supports opening talks for a new tripartite 13

15 agreement. SIPTU, an ICTU affiliate which organises graphical workers (its Irish Print Group), has, however, stated it will not support such an agreement unless it includes the introduction of a statutory right for workers to be represented by a trade union. In the Netherlands, graphical workers received a 3% pay increase payable in two stages. 2% became available from 1 February and a further 1% increase became payable on 1 October. The agreement also included enhancements in the payments to part-time employees and improvements in vocational training arrangements and care leave (see below) In Norway, the Norsk Grafisk Forbund negotiated a 3.5% wage increase. This was only achieved after a dispute situation, including strike action, against the employers. UEG affiliates were advised not to handle, during the dispute, any work transferred from Norwegian printers. The 3% increase, shown in Table 3 for the Swedish general printing industry and the Swedish packaging industry is part of two year agreements due to terminate at the end of April The agreements also give, from 1 April 2003, a reduction in annual working time equivalent to 12 minutes per week or one day per year. In the UK, changes to the national agreement in the English and Welsh graphical industry saw a wage increase of 2.2%. The agreement also committed the GPMU and the BPIF to establish a Joint Working Party to discuss issues related to the work-life balance agenda. These issues are to include flexible working practices and working patterns (see below). 14

16 Although in Portugal a national agreement covering regional newspapers was reached in, this was not the case in the general print and daily newspaper industries. In the latter case, the employers association initially offered a zero increase. This led to mediation, by the Ministry of Labour a processes which is continuing at the time of writing. Most of the important newspaper companies, however, left the employers association which is now dominated by the regional daily press. In July, negotiations began with the employers organisations representing the interests of companies in the general print industry but there are still continuing. The employers are seeking a comprehensive revision of all clauses in the current agreement. For the third successive year, no national pay increase in the graphical industry of Switzerland was concluded. Comedia is seeking to re-establish such a national agreement. In negotiations for wages and conditions improvements were confined to the workplace where increases in wages of between 1% and 2% were secured. However, a national pay agreement in Switzerland, covering journalists, signed in 1999 will continue in operation until Under this, journalists received a 2.3% increase in. Central and Eastern Europe Group Returns were received from three of the 10 countries due to join the European Union in In the Czech Republic, graphical workers received a 5% increase in pay under a three year national agreement operable from 29 January The standard working week remained 37.5 hours. The maximum paid hours of overtime permitted per week remained 8 hours (or 416 hours per year) paid at a premium rate of +25%. In Latvia, increases in wages are automatically linked to inflation. This gave newspaper, packaging and bookbinding workers in that country a pay increase of 3.1%. The standard working week remained unchanged at 15

17 40 hours. The permitted maximum annual number of paid overtime hours was also unchanged at 200. The additional payment for working on holidays and rest days continues to be a premium of +100%. In Poland, there is no graphical industry national agreement. There is no national employers organisation with which the graphical union can negotiate and conclude an agreement. In Poland, in the graphical industry the only level collective bargaining takes place is at the enterprise/company. Members of the Russian Cultural Workers Union did not receive an increase in under their 2½ year agreement which became effective in March. Under Russian legislation the basic working week is 40 hours (46 hours for arduous and hazardous jobs) but individual enterprise/company agreements are negotiated providing for a shorter basic working week. The law also provides a basic holiday entitlement of 24 working days but there are company/enterprise agreements which provide for longer paid holiday entitlement. Meeting the Quantitative Aspects of the Guidelines Table 3 shows the pay bargaining outcomes against the agreed guidelines of achieving wage improvements at least equal to the sum of increases in the annual rate of inflation and the annual rate of increase in national productivity. In two countries (Germany and Norway) the guideline target was exceeded. In a further eight countries (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden), the bargained pay increase was almost equal to the Guidelines. In these eight countries and the UK, the pay increase exceeded that of the annual increase in the rate of inflation. Real wages (ie the purchasing power) of graphical workers in these countries improved in the. 16

18 Table 3 shows an average shortfall of minus 1.4 percentage points between bargained pay increases and the sum of inflation plus productivity increases. The largest shortfalls were registered in the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Latvia and Portugal. However, of the 16 countries in Table 3 below the Guidelines, nine succeeded in negotiating improvements to the qualitative aspects of their collective agreements. The costs of these aspects are not easy to calculate but when they added in five countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden) they probably more than offset the shortfall between pay rises and the sum of inflation plus productivity increases. In Italy, Spain, France, Denmark and Belgium, graphical workers benefited from the implementation in of improvements to the qualitative aspects of their agreements negotiated in either or. Bargained Changes in : Qualitative Aspects Figure 2 shows the qualitative changes to collective agreement coming into effect in. 17

19 FIGURE 2 QUALITATIVE ASPECT CHANGES TO AGREEMENTS : Reductions in Working Time Increases in Holiday Entitlement Improvements in Vocational Training Equality Provisions Health and Safety Provision Other Significant Changes ITALY Transfer of overtime hours worked into extra rest days CYPRUS One day increase in paid holiday entitlement DENMARK Right to 14 days training payable by the employer NETHERLANDS Improvements of the pay rates for part-time workers in that overtime is payable as for full-time workers including % salary, for holidays and pension schemes, etc ITALY Acceptance by employers that worker representatives have a role in the management of health and safety at the workplace CYRPRUS Increase in 14 th monthly salary payment SPAIN Annual working hours reduced by 8 hours DENMARK One additional day of paid holiday entitlement to give an annual figure of 5 weeks and 4 days. A further additional one day of paid holiday entitlement will become effective in 2003 to give 6 weeks paid holidays NETHERLANDS Obligation on each company to make an annual further vocational training plan SWEDEN Before negotiations at local level, the employer and the union are to undertake an annual pay review, analysing pay between different groups of men and women in order to see if there are any discriminatory pay differentials NETHERLANDS Right of each worker to take paid leave (70% of pay) to care for sick child or parent SWEDEN From 1 April 2003 reduction of weekly working time by 12 minutes per week (equal to one day less per year) BELGIUM 1% of the total wage bill of to be used to train and re-train workers in the graphical sector facing the introduction of new technology. An additional 0.5% of the total wage bill to be used to finance the training and retraining of workers in the graphical industry over 45 years of age and those with disabilities. NORWAY Pregnant workers located in accordance with the Working Environment Act to retain their wages and working conditions. UNITED KINGDOM Union and employers agreed to establish a working party to discuss issues related to the work-life balance, working practices, length of working life. Working Party to produce a report for the industry Reduced Working Time In, the provision in the Spanish graphical industry collective agreement signed in, for total annual working hours to be reduced by 8 hours from 1,792 became fully effective. This reduction provides for a standard working week of 40 hours. 18

20 In Italy, the implementation of the provision, contained in the agreement covering small graphical companies, permitting employees to convert overtime hours into extra rest days was completed. The banking of working hours is calculated on an individual basis at company level. New agreements signed in in the general printing and in the packaging industries of Sweden provided from 1 April 2003, for a reduction in weekly working time of 12 minutes. This figure when annualised is the equivalent to one day s less work per year. In France, the final stages in the implementation of the legally imposed maximum working week of 35 hours continued. Its implementation had started in. However, in September there was a set back when the French government raised the legally permitted maximum annual number of paid hours of overtime from 150 hours to between 180 and 200. This was justified, inter alia, on the grounds of improving the economic performance of small and medium sized enterprises. Increase in holiday Entitlement In in Cyprus, graphical workers received an additional one day of paid holiday entitlement. This was implemented under a three year agreement which had come into operation on 1 January. In Denmark, under the four year agreement beginning 1 March, graphical workers received one additional day of paid holiday entitlement to give an annual figure of five weeks and four days plus public holidays. The same agreement provides for a further additional one days paid holiday in 2003, thereby giving six weeks paid holidays per year. 19

21 Improvements in Vocational Training Arrangements In the Netherlands, the collective bargaining round saw graphical workers negotiate an obligation on each company in membership of the employers organisation to devise, and implement, an annual further vocational training plan for all its employees. In Denmark, graphical workers secured the implementation of the provision, contained in the four year agreement signed in, of the right of employees to 14 days vocational training payable by the employer. In, in Belgium in both the general print and the daily newspaper industries, under agreements concluded in, employers increased to a sum equal to 1% of their total wage bill their contribution to financing the training and retraining of employees whose existing skills were threatened by the introduction of technological change. In addition, under the same agreements, a further 0.5% of the total wage bill is to finance the training and retraining of employees aged over 45 and of those with disabilities. Equality Provision In the Netherlands, the also witnessed improvements in the pay rates of part-time graphical workers. Overtime rates became payable at the same rate as for full-time workers and the overtime earnings of part-time workers are, in future, to be included in the calculation of their holiday pay and pension entitlement. The Swedish general printing and packaging industry agreements committed employers and employees before undertaking negotiations at the enterprise/company level to undertake a pay review analysing pay between different groups of men and women to see if there are any discriminatory pay differentials. 20

22 Health and Safety Provision In Italy in, the provision under a three year non-wage agreement, under which employers by agreeing to increased paid time off accepted worker representatives have a role to play in the management of health and safety at the workplace was completed. Other Significant Changes In the Netherlands, saw graphical workers secure the right to take paid leave to care for a sick child or parent. The minimum amount of pay to be received in such circumstances is 70%. A significant feature of the agreement in the UK was the establishment of a Joint Working Party to discuss issues related to the work-life balance agenda. The issues to be considered include flexible working practices, working patterns, the length of working life and any other measures by which the quality of life and the effectiveness of working and family life can be improved to the mutual benefit of employers and employees. The Joint Working Party is to produce a report for the industry. Progress to Meeting the Guidelines for Bargaining Claims : - Inclusive Quantitative Aspects Over the past three years graphical unions across Europe have experienced difficulties in achieving bargaining settlements that equal the sum of increases in the annual average rate of inflation plus average annual increases in national productivity. Table 4 provides complete data for 14 European countries for the bargaining rounds of - inclusive. It shows that over the full three year period only in Sweden in, in the Netherlands in and in Germany and Norway in did graphical unions exceed this target. However, in each of the three years a number of countries have come close to achieving the target. In, three countries (Italy, Netherlands and Norway) came within 0.5 percentage points of meeting the 21

23 target. In and, the equivalent figures were zero and four (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus and the UK) respectively. Table 5 shows the number of countries in each of the three years in which pay increases achieved for graphical workers fell short of the Guideline of inflation plus productivity increases by one percentage point or less and by 1.5% percentage points or less. 22

24 23 TABLE 4 Progress on Achieving Guidelines : 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 Total Av NO NO NO BELGIUM Total Av NO CYPRUS Total Av NO NO DENMARK Total Av FINLAND Total Av NO GERMANY Total Av , NO IRELAND Total Av NO ITALY Total Av LUXEMBOURG Total Av NO NO NO NETHERLANDS Total Av NORWAY Total Av SPAIN Total Av NO SWEDEN Total Av NO UNITED KINGDOM Total Av

25 TABLE 5 Achieving the Guideline Target : Number of Countries (n=14) Bargaining Round Guideline Exceeded Percentage Point of Target Wage Increase Within: One Percentage Point of Target Percentage Points of Target More than 1.5 percentage Points of Target Total Table 6 shows for each bargaining round 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. saw a significant improvement over which was a worse performance relative to. Taking the three collective bargaining rounds together, the shortfall from the Guideline is 1.3 percentage points. TABLE 6 Meeting the Guidelines : - Inclusive (n=14) 3 4 Year Increase in Inflation Increase in National Productivity Increase in Inflation Plus Productivity Bargained Wage Increase Difference Col (4) Minus Col (3) (%) (%) (%) (%) Average Table 4 shows that taking the three year period as a whole, the biggest shortfalls were in Finland, Germany and Ireland where the gap was over 3 percentage points. The gap between the bargained wage increase and the sum of annual average increases in inflation plus average increase in productivity declined in each year in five countries (Belgium, Austria, Cyprus, 24

26 Luxembourg and the UK). In no countries did the gap widen in each of the three years. Only in Ireland and Netherlands did the gap between bargained wage increases and the Guideline widen in relative to. Table 6 shows that taking the period - inclusive, the average wage increase achieved for European graphical workers equalled the average annual increase in inflation. This means the real purchasing power of graphical workers has, on average, been maintained over the last three years. Table 4 shows that in the bargaining round, in six countries (Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) graphical workers received annual pay increases greater than the rate of increase in inflation. The corresponding figures for and were six and eight respectively. Qualitative Aspects Table 4 shows that taking the three year period - overall, in 12 of the 14 countries shown, graphical workers succeeded in gaining some improvements to the qualitative aspects of their employment conditions. The exemptions are Austria and Luxembourg. When the costs of these improvements are taken into account, graphical workers in Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and UK have probably, taking the last three rounds as a whole, received improvements in pay and employment conditions in excess of the sum of increases in inflation plus national productivity. Reductions in Working Time In the past three years, there have been significant developments in this area in France, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Cyprus. Despite the introduction of the 35 hour week in France in, the new French government decided to increase the 25

27 amount of permitted overtime to maintain a 39 hour week, particularly in small and medium sized enterprises. In Denmark, Cyprus, Italy, Sweden and Norway, significant gains have been made in increased paid holiday entitlement. In Norway, paid holidays have increased from days for employees under 60 and to six weeks for those aged 60 years or over. In Sweden, two days additional paid holidays have been negotiated for employees aged 40 years or over. In Denmark, annual paid holiday entitlement has increased from five weeks and three days to six weeks from There has been a small reduction in annual standard working hours in Spain but even so annual hours still remain above the target of 1,750. The same situation with respect to annual standard hours of work still remains in Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Latvia. Limited progress, however, has been made in meeting paid overtime hours limitations. Reductions in Working Time : - Country Improvements Cyprus 1 additional days paid holiday () Denmark 1 additional days paid holiday in to give 5 weeks, 4 days 1 additional days paid holiday from 2003 to give 6 weeks paid holidays Norway 1 week extra paid holidays to give 5 weeks paid holidays plus1 further week for employees over 60 years of age Sweden 2 additional days paid holiday for employees aged 40 or over Reduction of 12 minutes in the working week: One an annualised basis this is equivalent to a reduction of working time of one day Italy Transfer of overtime hours worked into extra rest days France Introduction of 35 hour working week but setback with new French government s increase of the amount of permitted paid overtime hours (39 hour week) Spain Annual working hours reduced by 8 hours to provide for a standard working week of 40 hours Germany Provision for partial retirement for shift-workers 26

28 Vocational Training In a number of European countries over the period - inclusive, important improvements have been achieved through collective bargaining to vocational training arrangements. In Belgium, 1% of the total wage bill of graphical companies is now spent on providing training and re-training for employees whose skills are threatened by the introduction of new technology. A further 0.5% of the total wage bill of graphical companies is used to finance the training and re-training of workers aged 50 or over. In Norway the employers have financed a new jointly agreed training scheme whilst in the UK the social partners established a joint committee to examine the possibility of establishing a statutory training and development fund for the industry. In Denmark, the permitted time off for employees with pay for vocational training purposes has increased from one week to two. In Sweden, in the newspaper sector over the past three collective bargaining rounds, the number of additional days off with pay to undertake industrial training has increased to five. In the Netherlands, graphical companies now have an obligation to produce an annual further vocational training plan for the company. Small, but significant improvements to vocational training arrangements, have also been negotiated in Ireland (life-long learning) and Italy with the right to 150 hours of college education having been extended to skilled workers. Equality Issues Over the period - inclusive, significant gains have been obtained for graphical workers in various European countries in the area of child care, parental leave, pensions, care of elderly relations and part-time employees. 27

29 Improvements in Equality Issues : - Country Denmark Netherlands Sweden United Kingdom Improvement Paid time off to care for a child increased from 3-5 days but only payment for the first day. Age of eligible child increased from 12 years to days paternity leave at full pay. Right of each worker to take paid leave to care for sick child or parent Parental leave provision improved to full pay Equality in respect to pensions and parental leave rights entitlement extended to same sex partners Health and Safety There have been improvements in some European countries for graphical workers in health and safety standards. Most improvements have come through national or European Union legislation rather than collective bargaining. In Italy an increase was achieved in the amount of paid time off with pay for union health and safety representatives. This was part of the Italian graphical employers accepting that worker representatives have a legitimate role to play at the workplace in the management of health and safety. In the UK the social partners in the graphical industry established a Joint Committee to investigate the health and safety implications of overtime working in the industry. In the Netherlands, graphical workers played a significant role in the Government s decision to establish a Commission to examine, and make recommendations to reduce, stress and psychological complaints arising from pressures at the workplace as well as concerns over the existence of harmful solvents in the industry. Conclusions In the collective bargaining round with national graphical employers organisations, in two countries graphical workers received pay increases in excess of the sum of average annual increases in inflation plus average annual increase in national productivity. In eight 28

30 other countries, graphical workers received pay increases almost equal to this sum. In nine countries, graphical workers gained pay increases above that for the annual increase in the rate of inflation thereby giving them real increases in purchasing power. In addition, in five countries where graphical workers did not receive pay increases equal to the sum inflation plus productivity increases, their unions succeeded in negotiating improvements to the qualitative aspects of the collective agreements. Although the costs of these improvements are difficult to assess when they are added to the pay increases received, they probably in five countries more than offset the shortfall between the bargained pay rise and the sum of inflation plus productivity increases. Taking the three collective bargaining rounds (-) together, only in four countries (Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Norway) has the bargained wage increase ever exceeded the sum of average annual increases in the sum of inflation plus productivity. Over the three years as a whole, the shortfall between wages increases and the sum of inflation plus productivity was 1.3%. The gap has declined in each year in five countries and in no country has it widened year on year. Again, looking at the period - as a whole, the average increased wage achieved through collective bargaining for graphical workers equalled the average annual increase in inflation. In short, the real purchasing power of graphical workers has been maintained. In 12 out of 14 countries for which complete data is available for the period - inclusive, improvements have been negotiated to the qualitative aspects of collective agreements. When the costs of these are taken into account, graphical workers in a further six countries have probably received improvements in pay and conditions over the three year period in excess of the sum of the average annual increases in inflation plus national 29

31 productivity. Over the period - affiliates have succeeded in gaining significant improvements in paid holiday entitlement, vocational training arrangements and equality issues. The assessment of progress towards meeting the Guideline of pay increases equal, at least, 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. The comparison is designed to assist affiliates in one country understand the reasons why the guidelines cannot be met in another country, for example opposition to such demands from employers, central government macro-economic policy focuses on restraining the rate of increase of pay and an affiliate may have its own national based bargaining objectives which are in conflict with the Guidelines. They are best regarded as a means to improve the exchange of information on the current national situation and an opportunity for affiliates of any country to learn from past or present similar experiences which have already happened to an affiliate(s) in another country. The qualitative aspects of the Guidelines remain important for affiliates in assessing the evaluation of wage increases and other aspects of collective bargaining. In future, Collective Bargaining Surveys, more attention needs to be paid to the details of changes to the qualitative aspects of employment conditions. The last three surveys all reveal that in some countries shortfalls between pay increases and the sum of inflation plus national productivity increases were probably more than compensated for by improvements in qualitative aspects. However, since affiliates are likely to find it difficult to cost such changes, then in future Collective Bargaining Surveys, affiliates they should provide more comprehensive details of such changes than at present. 30