How UNI europa supports EWCs and SE-WCs
We work to ensure that EWC/SE-WC agreements and practice comply with the standards set by the EWC Directive, so that employees get the best possible results from them. We give ongoing support to current and prospective EWC and SE-WC representatives and our affiliated trade union officials being responsible for this, by providing:
- contact to trade union experts and researchers for advise
- access to sectoral and cross-sectoral comprehensible negotiating guidelines and checklists
- database on EWC and SE-WC agreements
- list of coordinators per EWC / SE-WC
- source of information & contacts for coordinators / facilitators
- structured exchange of “best practice” and legal practice in networks
- information material and training opportunities
- monitoring of relevant European legislation
- active participation in European lobbying
- cooperation and coordination with ETUC, ETUFs and Global Unions
What you should consider before setting up an EWC
· Does our company qualify for an EWC ?
· Do we have contacts to colleagues from other countries ?
· Do we have the support of Trade Unions of our Trade Unions at local/national and European level ?
· Do we have all the legal knowledge and expertise we require ?
What you will need for setting up an EWC
· Your company needs to have at least 1000 employees in the European Union member states where it operates and 150 in each of at least two of those countries, then it is obliged to establish a European Works Council
· An official letter from employees representatives of at least two countries of operation asking for the installation of a Special Negociation Body (SNB) that will have the task to negociate the EWC Agreement. Model letters can be provided by UNI europa.
· A clear idea of what you want to have written down in your EWC Agreement. Model Agreements, further advice and contacts to experienced negociators can be provided by UNI europa.
· Good knowledge on EWC legislation and the practical functioning of EWCs. There are many possibities for receiving training, organised and provided by UNI europa, the European Trade Union Institute or your national Trade Unions.
· A good communication flow between employees representatives and with trade unions across borders as well as with management
· Consider and anticipate possible conflicts between EWC members
· Sufficient means, motivation and support to put your EWC Agreement into practice
Why EWCs and SE-WCs
Within a European trade union strategy and a European trade union movement, transnational cooperation of workers and trade union representatives in European Works Councils (EWC) and European Companies Works Councils (SE-WC) forms an important part. These bodies offer an additional structure for trade union actions and alliances in case companies do not respect trade union rights.
For UNI-Europa monitoring and guiding existing EWCs and SE-WCs as well as setting up new ones remain a key task. The aim is to ensure that workers rights to information and consultation are respected. If properly guided, EWCs and SE-WCs can serve as a means to improve workers involvement in decision-making and to reinforce co-operation between workers’ representatives across borders. In order to achieve that, a strong trade union presence in EWCs and SE-WCs is vital.
Experiences have shown that trade union coordination is important right from the beginning in the work of Special Negotiating Bodies (SNB) as well as in the ongoing operating of established EWCs and SE-WCs. A trade union presence can safeguard minimum standards in agreements, ensure a European trade union perspective and assist EWC members to become a unified group.
EWC Support online
You can find more information and support material on the following websites:
Websites of the European Trade Union Institutions
http://www.ewcdb.eu/
http://www.worker-participation.eu/
http://www.etuc.org/r/57
http://www.sda-asbl.org/
http://mitbestimmung.verdi.de/europaeischer_betriebsrat/ebr-newsletter_der_verdi
Websites of EWC experts and consultants
http://www.euro-br.eu/
http://www.euro-betriebsrat.de
http://www.fnvformaat.nl/Producten%20en%20diensten/EOR/EOR-en.aspx
If you come across some more interesting and useful websites and you want to share them with us and our users, please let us know!
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