Report on Activities2011-2012

European Metalworkers’ Federation

EMF Dissolution CongressBrussels, 15th May 2012

Foreword

This Congress period has been particularly short due to the planned merger of the European industrial trade union federations, EMF, EMCEF and ETUF:TCL. It has lasted only 11 months and was primarily marked by the preparations for the merger.

The economic situation in Europe over this period has been very mixed. Whereas in certain countries, notably those in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, growth in the metal and electronics industry accelerated once the financial and economic crisis was overcome, we have had to fight against ongoing structural problems and the threat of a return to recession in South and South-Eastern Europe. European-wide austerity policies have put paid to growth and job prospects everywhere in Europe over the last few months - a situation which is already perceptible in many companies. The European trade union movement has thus jointly opposed this policy of shrinkage and cutbacks and has firmly advocated an alternative programme - supported by Europe-wide action - based on sustainable growth and employment.

Over the past few months we have been preparing the foundation of a new European industrial trade union federation on the basis of decisions taken in Duisburg. The Presidents and General Secretaries of the three founding organisations have driven forward this preparation in close cooperation. A joint working group has drawn up the Statutes and a political resolution for the new organisation based on drafts provided by the Secretariats. Both documents have been subject to intense consultation among the affiliated organisations, the Executive Committees and the joint Resolutions and Motions Committee before being presented for adoption at the Founding Congress in May 2012.

Although the past Congress period has lasted barely a year, we can nevertheless look back on a series of results and progress in the daily work of the EMF. Indeed, the EMF has reinforced its position as a key player in European industrial policy, not only by developing its industrial policy strategy but also by its political action and sectoral activities. In the area of Company Policy, it is the introduction of new guidelines for European Works Councils as well as the handling of specific company cases that should be highlighted. With regard to Collective Bargaining Policy, we can underline the reformulation of the Wage Coordination Rule as well as the coordination of measures against precarious work. Regarding social dialogue in the metal, shipbuilding and steel industries, debates have focused on competition issues, precarious work, training and life-long learning and the stabilization of the maritime industry.

The above-mentioned points are however only a part of our work. The EMF Work Programme adopted in Duisburg will be integrated into the work programme to be drawn up for the new organisation. This will be developed with input from the policy and sector committees and social dialogue. The Duisburg Programme still contains numerous tasks that will have to be tackled by our united efforts in the new organisation.

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I would like to warmly thank all our member organisations for their constructive and full participation in the implementation of the EMF’s work. The same goes for the constructive and professional cooperation with our partner organisations.

My personal thanks go to the staff of the EMF Secretariat in Brussels whose conscientious work and high commitment have guaranteed a powerful voice for trade union work at EU level.

Ulrich Eckelmann, EMF General Secretary

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Industrial Policy

Safeguarding and fostering quality industrial employment in Europe lie at the core of the EMF’s industrial policy strategy, as does developing long-term, sustainable solutions for industrial sectors that remain under pressure in the aftermath of the worldwide financial and economic crises. During the times of economic hardship, it has been revealed that a strong manufacturing base is more essential than ever for sustained economic growth and stability in Europe. In the context of economic insecurity, the challenge of developing sustainable industrial manufacturing strategies and the framework of the Europe 2020 strategy, a strong growth and innovation-focused industrial policy, are of fundamental interest to European workers.

The EMF has long advocated a pro-active industrial policy that shapes, drives and draws the blueprint for the European economy as opposed to taking a purely defensive stance aiming at safeguarding the status-quo. In recent years, it has become eminently clear that synergies between economic growth and environmental protection do exist, and that investment in, for instance, renewable energy sources, sustainable housing, waste management and recycling or electro mobility do provide a path towards new growth opportunities and, most importantly, sustainable jobs.

In general, activities around low-carbon technologies tend to be employment intensive and are thus a field of particular interest in the EMF’s work. Ensuring that Europe’s industry as well as Europe’ workforce will be prepared, adequately skilled and trained for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead has been key in EMF’s industrial policy activities at European level and have been taken into account in its sectoral initiatives.

Cooperation with EESC/CCMI

During the abbreviated Congress period the EMF Secretariat provided expertise in the drafting and development of CCMI initiatives that resulted in two finalized adopted opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). One opinion concerned the situation of Energy Intensive Industries (CCMI 090); the other the state of the rail industry (CCMI 089) in Europe. In connection with the EESC opinion, an EU-funded project on the train sector was launched to build up a network of works councils and specialised trade unionists with a view to increasing expertise and knowledge transfer from the shop floor to the European level on the outlook for employment and innovation.

Tool Box on Industrial Policy

The meeting of the Industrial Policy Committee in Croatia in September 2011 was linked to a conference on Sustainable Industrial Policy for Southeast Europe, which was also supported and organized with the help of IG Metall and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. An EMF policy paper, mapping the available tools for implementing a sustainable industrial policy strategy in Europe, was presented. The “tool box” outlines a variety of policy measures that could be used to support and accelerate Europe’s industrial transformation towards a low-carbon and knowledge-based economy and safeguard employment in industrial manufacturing. The tool box has been published on the EMF website and been made available in English, French and German.

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Workshop on Industrial Policy at the Convention of the Party of European Socialists (PES)

In November 2011, the EMF took part in the convention of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Brussels, organising a workshop debate on sustainable industrial policy and presenting the ideas of the “tool box”. The key question raised by the workshop and communicated to the PES leadership was “How to prepare Europe’s economy for the age of sustainable production while managing structural and demographic change in a fair way?” Workshops and events of similar kind were also organised with the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau and Europe et Société (in Paris).

Joint Industrial Policy Committee meeting with EMCEF and ETUF:TCL

In the run-up to the creation of a new organisation EMF, EMCEF and ETUF:TCL organised a joint meeting of their Industrial Policy Committees in February 2012 in Luxembourg in order to provide a platform for the exchange of views and the mapping of future activities within a joint federation. The ideas of the “tool box” and the Europe 2020 flagship industrial policy strategy were central to the debate of the committee during the joint meeting.

Members of the Industrial Policy CommitteeAustria, PRO-GE, Thomas Grammelhofer; Belgium, ABVV-Metaal, Fidel Gavilan, ACV-CSC METEA, Walter Cnop, Guido Nelissen, Paul Liakos, SETCa/BBTK, Pia Desmet, CGSLB Métal, Kurt Marysse, MWB-FGTB, Nico Cue, Benoît Gerits; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Dimitar Dikov; Croatia, Metalworkers' Union of Croatia SMH-IS, Vesna Mlinaric; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Dana Sakarova, Josef Strědula; Denmark, CO industri, Henrik Keinicke, IDA, Fin Krogh Jørgensen; Finland, Metalli, Mika Kärkkäinen, PRO, Ritva Cavenius, UIL ry, Heidi Husari, TEK, Pekka Pellinen; France, FOM, Marie-Josée Millan, Frédéric Souillot, FGMM/CFDT, Philippe Portier, Gérald Dumas, FTM-CGT, David Meyer, Bernard Devert, FNTE/CGT, Eric Brune, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Xavier Lecoq; Germany, IG Metall, Astrid Ziegler; Hungary, VASAS, Livia Spieglné Balogh; Italy, FIM-CISL, Bruno Vitali, Alberto Monticco, UILM, Luca Colonna; Kosovo, SPMK Hasan Abazi; Luxemburg, OGB-L, Marco Casagrande, Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Fredy Peltzer, DE UNIE, George J. G. Kruithof, Bart Willems; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Hans Christian Gabrielsen, NITO, Tone Tønnesen; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Przemysław Rzepecki, Bartłomiej Soszyński, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Jacek Murawski; Portugal, SIMA, Alberto Paolo Simoes, José Antonio Simoes, FIEQUIMETAL, Fernando Marques; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Gheorghe Sora ; Slovakia, Slovak Metalworkers' Federation, Monika Hrusecka, Pavel Kus; Slovenia, SKEI, Vilijem Novak; Spain, MCA-UGT, Carlos Romero, Lourdes Jiménez, FI CC.OO, Luis Fernando de Luis, Raul Montoya; Sweden, IF Metall, Wille Birksten, Nordic IN, Jens Bundvad; Switzerland, UNIA, Corrado Pardini; UK, Unite The Union, Ben Richards, Community, Robert Sneddon, Matt Ball

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Company Policy

EWC, new recast directive and participation in decision-making bodies

The entering into force of the recast EWC directive remains the highlight of this period. The new directive provides a more robust legal framework for EWCs on which they can rely to a greater extent in future. At the same time, it offers EWCs new potential, which they must make sure that they seize. In September 2011, the EMF adopted a revised version of the EWC guidelines that takes account of the progress made with the new Directive. The guidelines are available in 12 EU languages.

EWC and recasting of Directive 94/45

Negotiations and renegotiations of EWC agreements: Situation as at 15 March 2012

Companies in the metalworking sector concerned by the EWC Directive

+/- 550

Total number of agreements concluded

Of which agreements on involvement in SEs (European Companies)

396

20

Of which agreements that have become obsolete, essentially because of mergers and acquisitions

73

Ongoing negotiations / Preparatory phase for negotiations

+/- 50

It is worth noting that the pre-Directive agreements (the so-called article 13 agreements) now represent less than 35% of all agreements currently applied.

Virtually all the agreements are available via the EMF database.

Although considerable progress has been made in the last four years, the fact remains that implementing the Company Policy Work Programme has been largely affected and dominated by the economic crisis. The Company Policy department has actually had to respond to more and more requests to deal with transnational restructuring cases.

Trade union support for existing EWCs

Network of EWC trade union coordinators: of the 323 EWCs in operation, only 48 are not assisted by an EMF coordinator.

In order to strengthen the coordination between the industrial and sectoral policy pursued by the EMF and the EWCs, the EMF has actively encouraged EWC members and EMF

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coordinators to participate in sectoral activities (conferences, workgroup meetings, seminars, etc.).

EMF representatives have moreover been regularly asked to address EWC meetings, particularly on the topic of the new directive.

Anticipation of change, restructuring and reactions to the crisis

Drawing on its experience regarding the anticipation of change, the EMF has replied to the Commission Green Paper on anticipation of change and restructuring calling for the establishment of a legal European framework for companies. Such a framework should encourage companies to better anticipate and manage change at company level, facilitate transitions and prevent any negative impact of change on workers and employment.

The EMF Secretariat was requested, in particular, to organise European trade union coordination in the following companies: ArcelorMittal, GME, Safran and GM/PSA. Given the growing number of requests for trade union coordination, the EMF Secretariat has secured EU Commission funding to cover the organisation and costs of such meetings.

Transnational negotiations at company level

Following on from the previous congress period, additional transnational company agreements have been concluded for Alstom Boiler, AREVA, GDF-Suez and ThyssenKrupp Elevator.

Members of the Company Policy CommitteeAustria, PRO-GE, Peter Schissler; Belgium, ABVV-Metaal, Fidel Gavilan, ACV-CSC METEA, Geert Sonck, LBC-NVK, Annick Aerts, SETCa/BBTK, Pia Desmet, CGSLB Métal, Kurt Marysse, MWB-FGTB, Nico Cue, Benoît Gerits; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Dana Sakarova; Denmark, CO industri, Erik B. Wiberg, Peter Rimfort, IDA, Bo Falkencrone; Finland, Metalli, Tarja Loppi, PRO, Sari Vaittinen, UIL ry, Maria Harju, TEK, Daniel Valtakari; France, FOM, Paul Ribeiro, Denis Bieber, FGMM/CFDT, Blandine Landas, FTM-CGT, Daniel Pellet-Robert, Patrick

Correa, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec ; Germany, IG Metall, Aline Hoffmann; Hungary, VASAS, Zoltan Szoke; Italy, FIOM-CGIL, Sabina Petrucci, FIM-CISL, Marco Bentivogli, Gianni Alioti, UILM, Luca Colonna; Luxemburg, OGB-L, Marco Casagrande; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Albert Kuiper, DE UNIE, Bart Willems, George J. G. Kruithof; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Jørgen Kaurin, NITO, Kirsten Rydne, TEKNA, Karen Kristine Barje; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Małgorzata Calińska – Mayer, Dariusz Dąbrowski; Portugal, SIMA, Ana Filipe, Alberto Paolo Simoes, FIEQUIMETAL, Carlos Carvalho; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Gheorghe Sora; Slovakia, Slovak Metalworkers' Federation, Monika Hrusecka; Spain, MCA-UGT, Gracia De Juana, Javier Urbina, FI CC.OO, Ana Sanchez, Yolanda Morin Arias; Sweden; IF Metall, Wille Birksten, Nordic IN, Mika Häkkinen; Switzerland, UNIA, Matthias Hartwich; UK, Unite The Union, Jonathan Hayward, Community, Matt Ball

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Collective Bargaining and Social Policy

The period between the statutory EMF Congress in 2011 and the founding of a new federation 11 months later has been dominated by a gradual integration of the collective bargaining activities of the three federations. At the same time, we have kept up with developments in the field of social policy and had a good dialogue and cooperation with our umbrella organisation, the ETUC.

Common demands

A mid-term review of the 2nd Common Demand on precarious work (adopted in November 2009) was undertaken in 2011. The EMF followed the same pattern and procedure as had been used for the first Common Demand on training, and circulated questionnaires in three languages with comparatively simple questions on campaigns, results and ideas for improvement of the campaign. 24 unions in 17 countries took part in the survey and a report was written to summarize the replies.

The Collective Bargaining and Social Policy Committee

The Committee held one meeting in Prague in November 2011, which was the last EMF meeting and also the last of a series of autumn sessions to be arranged in one of the new Member States. The key point on the agenda was a reassessment of the EMF wage coordination rule that had originally been adopted in 1998. The rule was slightly reworded and in the same decision the committee said that future analyses in the annual Eucoban reports short be more forward-looking, that the calculations should be based on productivity trends (over a 5-year period) and forecasts on inflation and productivity should be included in the Eucoban reports. There will also be more focus on wage distribution.

The only Committee meeting in 2012 was a joint EMF/EMCEF and ETUF-TCL meeting held in Brussels in February attended by some 60 participants. The main objective of the meeting was to exchange views and experiences and also to agree on a future structure for the work with collective bargaining and social policy in the future. There was broad consensus and no major changes will be made in the new European federation. The drafting of the next work programme in the field of collective bargaining and social policy was initiated in February 2012. A first outline will be presented in the summer school in September 2012, then the CBSPC and finally the Executive Committee will adopt the new work programme.

The two select working parties of the CBSPC

The ordinary SWP is the steering group of the CBSPC. It has held five meetings between the two congresses in 2011 and 2012. Participation has been satisfactory. The first joint SWP of the three federations took place at the end of January 2012.

The ad hoc SWP white-collars has held two meetings since the EMF Congress in 2011. Participation is quite good and more EMF affiliates are now nominating representatives for the group. The group gives input to important EMF documents like the Work Programme and policy statements.

The annual Summer College

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A second joint EMF/EMCEF/ETUF-TCL summer college was held in September 2011 in Istanbul. The main focuses were on the common demands on precarious work in the three federations and on the economic crisis and its impact on collective bargaining.

Social policy issues

The implementation of the Temporary Agency Work Directive is of high importance for unions in manufacturing industry in almost every European country. The EMF follows developments closely and also has a dialogue with the European employers’ organisation for work agencies (Euro-Ciett). In September 2011 a special survey on TAW was conducted for unions in Eastern Europe and South-East Europe. All unions in these two regions participated in the survey which was presented at an EMF 2-day seminar in Macedonia on the subject of TAW.

The social partners at the European level entered into negotiations on a revision of the Working Time Directive in December 2011. The deadline for a framework agreement is August 2012 (nine months). EMF/EMCEF and ETUF-TCL have jointly designated a Secretariat representative to take part in the ETUC delegation for these negotiations.

Other key issues in the area of social policy in the current period have been pensions, the posting of workers and the reconciliation of economic freedoms and fundamental rights (“Monti II”).

European company-level negotiations

The Commission’s Expert group on Transnational Company agreements, researching the possibility for an optional legal framework, finished its activities during this Congress period. The report of this Expert group is expected during the spring of 2012.

Members of the Collective Bargaining and Social Policy CommitteeAustria, PRO-GE, Manfred Anderle, Peter Schleinbach; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA Marc De Wilde, Sandra Vandergucht, LBC-NVK, Erik Van Den Heede, SETCa/BBTK, Pia Desmet, MWB-FGTB, Benoît Gerits, Nico Cue ; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Reneta Petrova; Croatia, Metalworkers' Union of Croatia SMH-IS, Davor Smuljic; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Lucie Studnicna, Jaroslav Soucek; Denmark, CO industri, Claus Jensen, René Johansen, IDA, Lisbeth Andersen; Finland, Metalli, Jyrki Virtanen, PRO, Roni Jokinen, UIL ry, Ismo Kokko, TEK, Yrjö Taivainen; France, FOM, Marie-Josée Millan, Stéphane Martegoute, FGMM/CFDT, Blandine Landas, FTM-CGT, Xavier Petrachi, Boris Plazzi, Daniel Pellet-Robert, FNTE/CGT, Stephan Maunier, CFE-CGC Métallurgie–FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Kay Ohl, Uwe Fink; Hungary, VASAS, Livia Spieglné Balogh; Italy, FIOM-CGIL, Sabina Petrucci, FIM-CISL, Anna Trovo, Sandro Pasotti, UILM, Luca Colonna; Kosovo, SPMK, Hasan Abazi,Naser Pilana; Luxemburg, OGB-L, Jean-Claude Bernardini; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Jacquie van Stigt, DE UNIE, Bart Willems, George J. G. Kruithof; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Liv Christiansen, NITO, Lasse Breen; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Bogdan Szozda, Adam Ditmer, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Piotr Glodzik; Portugal, SIMA, José Antonio Simoes, Alberto Paolo Simoes, FIEQUIMETAL, Manuel Bravo; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Gheorgh Sora; Slovakia, Slovak Metalworkers'Federation, Anton Mifka, Monika Hrusecka; Slovenia, SKEI, Bogdan Ivanovic; Spain, MCA-UGT, Isabel Magan Moreno,José Antonio

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Posadas, FI CC.OO, Alvaro Garrido, Vicenç Rocosa ; Sweden, IF Metall, Roger Nilsson, Veli-Pekka Säikkälä, Nordic IN, Anna-Lena Börgö-Etaat; Switzerland, UNIA, Fabienne Kühn; UK, Unite The Union, Jonathan Hayward, Unite House, Community, Alasdair McDiarmid

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Social Dialogue

Metal sectoral social dialogue (CEEMET)

The metal social dialogue committee held one plenary meeting in the reporting period. Having adopted a joint position on industrial policy in April 2011, the metal SDC continued at this occasion its dialogue with the European Commission (DG Enterprise) on implementing European industrial policy at the national level. The uneven development across Europe, with some countries structurally lagging behind others, and the need to invest in innovation to create jobs and maintain competitiveness were both highlighted. In that context, the metal SDC decided that exchanges on successful national strategies should continue. It was agreed to develop and update the “toolbox” document that lists examples of national initiatives concerning topics such as anti-crisis measures, the ageing workforce, flexicurity, collective agreements and education and training. The metal SDC also discussed how to increase social partner influence on EU policies and decided to investigate possibilities for participating in the impact assessment procedure of EU legislative initiatives relevant to the metal sector.

The two work groups of the metal SDC held two meetings each in the reporting period. The work group on education and training focussed its discussions on ways to attract people to the metal industry. Improving the attractiveness of vocational education and training (VET), and ensuring permeability of VET and higher education, were seen as crucial in this context. The work group produced a joint position on permeability that was subsequently adopted by the metal SDC plenary in December 2011. Discussions in the work group currently focus on the topic of life-long learning, and particularly on ensuring access to continuous training.

The work group on “competitiveness and employment in a globalised economy” reflected in 2011 on the drivers for companies’ flexibility needs and the instruments to handle flexibility needs, as well as the effects of the instruments used. In 2012 a discussion started on the use of flexible employment in the metal sector as well as the precariousness of these forms of employment. The objective of these discussions was to reach a joint understanding of the relevant factors and problems associated with adaptability.

NEPSI

The implementation of the NEPSI agreement in the foundry sector continued to progress well. The report submitted to the NEPSI Council in June 2011 showed an increase in the number of foundry workers covered by risk assessment, training and health surveillance.

The low participation of CEEC remained problematic and NEPSI promotional activities were therefore organized for the foundry sector in Poland (November 2011) and Czech Republic (September 2011).

At the request of the trade unions, a NEPSI ad hoc work group was set up to investigate how the effectiveness of the social dialogue agreement could be “measured” in terms of demonstrating reductions in exposure levels. The work is ongoing.

Steel and shipbuilding sectoral social dialogue committees

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The reports on social dialogue activities in the steel and shipbuilding sectors can be found under the sections on the respective EMF sector activities.

South-Eastern Europe and social dialogue

The EMF took part in an EU Conference on capacity building for social dialogue in December 2011 and reported on bilateral projects of EMF affiliates and EMF involvement in recent ILO/ETUC projects on sectoral social dialogue developments in the New Member States and candidate countries.

Cooperation with EMCEF and ETUF:TCL

In view of the creation of the new trade union federation, the three founding organizations started to prepare the future common work in the area of social dialogue. A joint meeting was organized to provide information about the respective social dialogue activities in the three federations and to reflect on the work and role of the future Social Dialogue Policy Committee.

In connection with the NEPSI social dialogue agreement, the EMF has also been cooperating closely with EMCEF. Meetings of the EMF and EMCEF members in the NEPSI Council were held jointly.

Members of the Social Dialogue Committee MetalBelgium, ABVV-Metaal, Frans Biebaut, ACV-CSC METEA, Marc De Wilde, SETCa/BBTK, Claude Roufosse, CNE, Gérard Loyens, Bruno Baudson, CGSLB Métal; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Reneta Petrova; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Alena Paukrtova, Jaroslav Soucek; Denmark, CO industri, René Johansen, Arne Sorensen, IDA, Per Klok; Finland, Metalli, Timo Korpijärvi, TEK, Heikki Kauppi; France, FOM, Marie-Josée Millan, Stéphane Martegoute, FGMM/CFDT, Dominique Gillier, Blandine Landas, FTM-CGT, Boris Plazzi, Bernard Devert; Malta, General Workers' Union, Emanuel Deguara, Paul Bugeja; Netherlands, DE UNIE, George J. G. Kruithof; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Adam Ditmer, OPZZ Metalworkers, TUC of Poland, Piotr Glodzik; Portugal, SIMA, José Antonio Simoes, Alberto Paolo Simoes; Spain, MCA-UGT, Lourdes Jiménez, Carlos Romero

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SECTOR COMMITTEES

Automotive

The EMF Automotive sector Committee welcomed representatives from the value chain, mandated by the chemical and textile sectors with a view to preparing the merger with the respective European Trade Union Federations (ETUFs).

Greater attention was paid during the year covered by this report to the Cars 21 process. The EMF took an active part in the process and succeeded in incorporating several topics into the interim report.

The joint project on the feasibility of a sectoral skills and employment council was finalised and the follow-up second phase was launched with CEEMET and CLEPA.

Funding from the European Commission Progress budget line was received for the Ergonomics Project and the investigative phase was launched.

The Committee took initial steps to implement the following points of the work programme adopted at the Duisburg Congress:

- “(elaborate) a minimum employment standard for the automotive industry at company level in Europe for use as an instrument for lobbying the EU institutions”;

- “The application of existing codes of conduct within the value chain needs to be changed in negotiated agreements and new agreements have to be concluded in countries without regulations.” This was partially dealt with in the Cars 21 process.

Members of the Sector Committee Automotive Austria, PRO-GE, Herbert Perhab, Thomas Stoimaier; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Guido Nelissen, Walter Cnop, LBC-NVK, Erik Van Den Heede, Johan Lamers, CGSLB Métal, Kurt Marysse, MWB-FGTB, Jean-François Tamellini, Manuel Castro; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Vladimir Kment, Lucie Studnicna; Finland, Metalli, Jouko Reijonen; France, FOM, Jean-Yves Sabot, Jean-François, Kondratiuk, FGMM/CFDT, Marc Lejon, Philippe Portier, FTM-CGT, Denis Bréant, Fabien Gache, Jean-Pierre Mercier, Yves Audvard, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec, Dominique Chauvin; Germany, IG Metall, Christian Brunkhorst; Hungary, VASAS, Laszlo Szell; Italy, FIM-CISL, Leonardo Burmo, Bruno Vitali, UILM, Eros Panicali; Luxemburg, OGB-L, José De Jesus Goncalves, Robert Wolff; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Weil Crins, CNV Vakmensen, Will Kroonen, DE UNIE, George J. G. Kruithof, Suat Koetloe; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Dariusz Dąbrowski, Bogdan Szozda, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Miroslaw Grzybek; Portugal, SIMA, Antonio Sarmento, Alberto Paolo Simoes, José Antonio Simoes; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Marinel Strungar; Slovakia, Slovak Metalworkers' Federation, Pavel Ondris, Monika Hrusecka; Slovenia, SKEI, Trajko Isovski; Spain, MCA-UGT, Manuel Garcia Salgado, FI CC.OO, Manuel Galvez, USO; Victor Fernández Cajide; Sweden, IF Metall, Aleksandar Zuza, Nordic IN, Jens Bundvad; UK, Unite The Union, Tony Murphy, Roger Maddison

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Aerospace

The Aerospace Committee continued its work on the Transport White Paper, and underlined the need to work towards more social dialogue or at least exchange with the social partners at European level. The main topics discussed were the intra-value-chain relationships and environmental standards evolving in the foreseeable future. Workers’ mobility, especially of professional staff, within Europe was another issue of high interest. Outsourcing and relocation to low-cost countries remained high on the agenda.

The Committee chose a new Chairman: Ian Waddle (UNITE). One Committee meeting was held in February 2012, and one Select working party meeting.

Members of the Sector Committee AerospaceBelgium, ACV-CSC METEA, William Tailler, Paul Liakos, LBC-NVK, Philippe Bervoets, SETCa/BBTK, Mariet Vanderstukken, MWB-FGTB, Jean-François Tamellini, Nico Cue; Finland, Metalli, Jouko Reijonen; France, FOM, Philippe Fraysse, Jean-François Knepper, FGMM/CFDT, Franck Uhlig, Jean Mauries, FTM-CGT, Jean-Jacques Desvignes, FNTE/CGT, Hervé Baylac, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec ; Germany, IG Metall, Heino Bade, Rüdiger Lütjen, Siegfried Balduin, Thomas Busch; Italy, FIM-CISL, Carlo Anelli, Marco Bentivogli, UILM, Mario Ghini; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Everhard Feringa, Koert Peperkamp, DE UNIE, Gerard C.H. van der Lit; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Jerzy Bazak, Roman Jakim, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Jan Chorzepa; Portugal, SIMA, Jose Maridalho, Joao Belo; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Constantin Necsoi; Spain, MCA-UGT, Alejandro Perez, Manuel Garcia Salgado, FI CC.OO, José Ramón Inigo Blas; Sweden, IF Metall, Conny Holm; UK, Unite The Union, Ian Waddell, GMB, Keith Hazlewood

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Steel

The steel industry in Europe has been facing enormous structural and economic challenges and it is these issues which have been the focus of our fora. In the period since the last congress one Steel Sector Committee meeting and one Select Working Party took place in Piombino (Italy). The main topics for discussion were the creation of a new federation, the implementation of the work programme, the situation in the steel industry, the EMF steel survey and the Piombino Declaration on the future of the steel industry in Europe. This declaration was adopted by the EMF Executive Committee, which also debated the working method and topics of the Steel Sector Committee, deciding they will be slightly altered. A greater focus will be placed on stainless steel activities and on non-ferrous activities and foundries.

The committee’s work has not just focused on sector-related activities but also on companies in the sector, such as ArcelorMittal, for which EMF called for a European Action Day on December 7th 2011.

Stainless Steel activities

The situation in the European stainless steel sector is characterised by concentration and restructuring processes. In order to discuss these issues the EMF organised the first European Stainless Steel Conference. The sales process of Inoxum was monitored by the EMF. An additional meeting is scheduled to take place.

Skills Sector Council

In 2011 the first phase of the implementation of the skill sector council was concluded. It will be decided at a later stage whether Phase II will be launched. Until then, the working group on training and education of the sectoral social dialogue will deal with this matter.

GT VET Project

This project develops vocational training modules on green skills for the steel industry. The EMF has been, together with EUROFER, a very active partner in this project. In April 2012 the first modules will be ready.

Non Ferrous

The EMF requested the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to adopt an own-initiative opinion which focused on the challenges of energy-intensive industries and struck a balance between employment, environment and social issues. The final opinion of the EESC was adopted in December 2011. The EMF greatly influenced this process and also provided the expert for the workers’ group.

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Sectoral Social Dialogue Steel

Since the last congress, two plenary meetings and several working groups were held. The working groups addressed the following topics: training and education, health and safety and structural change. A main focus centred on the negotiations on a common position regarding industrial policy with the employers’ organisation EUROFER. The developments in the different projects regarding the reduction of CO2 emissions were critically discussed as well as the various viewpoints on the ETS. In the health and safety working group it was decided to conduct together with Eurofound a study on stress at the workplace.

Members of the Sector Committee SteelAustria, PRO-GE, Hans-Karl Schaller; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, William Tailler, Paul Liakos, LBC-NVK, Swat Clerinx, SETCa/BBTK, Claude Roufosse, CGSLB Métal, Kurt Marysse, MWB-FGTB, Benoît Gerits, Nico Cue; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Vasil Yanachkov; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Lucie Studnicna, Josef Lejsek; Finland, Metalli, Timo Eklund; France, FOM, Lionel Bellotti, FGMM/CFDT, Bernard Fillonneau, Edouard Martin, FTM-CGT, Philippe Verbeke, Philippe Bonnot, Christian Pantoustier, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Xavier Lecoq; Germany, IG Metall, Michael Bach, Uwe Fink; Hungary, VASAS, Zoltan Borbély; Italy, FIM-CISL, Marco Bentivogli, Sandro Pasotti, UILM, Mario Ghini; Kosovo, SPMK, Izeir Qorrolli; Netherlands, DE UNIE, George J. G. Kruithof, Bart Willems; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Adam Ditmer, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Zbiegniew Mnich; Portugal, SIMA, José Antonio Simoes, Alberto Paolo Simoes; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Iancu Muhu; Slovakia, Slovak Metalworkers' Federation, Monika Hrusecka, Mikulas Hintos; Spain, MCA-UGT, Jose Maria Pinero, Jose Ignacio San Miguel, FI CC.OO, José Ramon Laso Castano; Sweden, IF Metall, Lars-Erik Folkesson; UK, Unite The Union, Paul Reuter, GMB, Keith Hazlewood, Community, Roy Rickhuss

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Information and Communication Technology

The ICT industry is critical to Europe’s future, both as a research-intensive and manufacturing industrial sector, as well as a driver of productivity and improved service quality in virtually all other sectors, e.g. automotive, mechanical engineering or healthcare. The ICT industry accounts for roughly 5% of employment in the EU and will play a key role in Europe’s quest for developing a sustainable and knowledge-based economy with high-quality industrial jobs. Nonetheless, the ICT industry is still confronted with a transformation process from manufacturing towards services, and towards new generation production methods.

The EMF therefore will continue to play an active role in the ICT industry, taking part in all relevant initiatives run by the European Commission or other stakeholders in the sector. Fields of particular interests remain, as set out in the work programme 2011: the implementation of the Digital Agenda, embedded ICT solutions, green and sustainable ICTs, and sectors such as electronics, eHealth or MedTech.

Green ICT and Recycling

The EMF supports the transformation to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy and the EU’s commitment to reduce climate change. A central challenge for the success of this transformation will be the mobilisation of information and communication technologies for this cause. The ICT Committee has produced a position paper (FEM 14/2011), adopted by the EMF Executive Committee, on the importance of promoting sustainable ICT technology as well as adequate recycling. The position paper and a call for action were sent to the office of the Commissioner responsible for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes.

Fair competition in the telecoms sector

The telecommunication market is one of the core targets for ICT activities within the European Union. Unfortunately, this sector has come under serious and unprecedented threats from South-East Asian competitors. The ICT Committee has developed a policy paper (FEM 15/2011) that was adopted by the Executive Committee and studies existing imbalances in the economic playing field between Europe and Asia (with particular emphasis on China). The position paper was made available to the office of Commissioner Neelie Kroes.

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European Works Councils

The ICT Committee has continued its work as regards coordinating and facilitating European Works Councils, e.g. by participating in training and workshop sessions and through inclusion of EWC issues in ordinary Committee work.

Members of the Sector Committee Information and Communication TechnologyAustria, PRO-GE, Christian Schaller; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Walter Cnop, Guido Nelissen, LBC-NVK, Leo Lauwerysen, SETCa/BBTK, Claude Roufosse, MWB-FGTB Jean-Michel Hutsebaut, Angelo Basile; Denmark, CO industri, Torben Andresen Lindhardt; Finland, Metalli, Jukka Saviluoto, PRO, Ritva Cavenius, UIL ry, Jani Huhtamella, TEK, Yrjö Taivainen; France, FOM, Anne-Marie, Chopinet, Hervé Provost, FGMM/CFDT, Vincent Bottazzi, Philippe Saint-Aubin, FTM-CGT, Marc Leroux, Christian Pilichowski, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec, Ludovic Andrevon, Franck Setruk; Germany, IG Metall, Juan-Carlos Rio Antas, Hans-Joachim Weis; Hungary, VASAS, Béla Novodarszky, Italy; FIM-CISL, Alberto Monticco, UILM, Guglielmo Gambardell; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Gerard Van Hees, DE UNIE, Bart Willems, George J. G. Kruithof; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Bartłomiej Soszyński, Małgorzata Franeczek; Portugal, SIMA, José Antonio Simoes, Rui Vidigueira; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Paula stoian; Spain, MCA-UGT, José Luis Gacio, FI CC.OO, Luis Romero; UK, Unite The Union, Kevin O’Gallagher

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Shipbuilding

The European shipbuilding industry continues to face severe crisis. More than 50,000 jobs have been lost in the European shipyards since 2008 while order books and Europe’s share in the global market have fallen to a historic low. The perspectives for shipbuilding in Europe continued to give rise for concern due to persisting global competitive distortions, increasing global overcapacities and the absence of global regulations after the abandonment of negotiations for an OECD shipbuilding agreement in 2010. There also continues to be rising concern over Asian shipyards entering high-value markets and European suppliers increasingly shifting production to Asia. The EMF has tried to exploit all levels of influence in its campaign efforts: dialogue with the EU institutions and EU presidencies, social dialogue with CESA and participation in LeaderSHIP activities.

In response to the crisis, the EMF Shipbuilding Committee has intensified its monitoring of market and employment developments and continues to collect data in close cooperation with the German institutes IAW and AgS. Following up on the previous declarations of Berlin (June 2009) and Vigo (May 2010), the EMF shipbuilding Committee drafted a trade union “Rosyth Declaration” on shipbuilding that was adopted by the EMF Executive Committee in November 2011 (FEM 12/2011). The Declaration calls on the European Commission to review the industrial policy strategy (LeaderSHIP) for the shipbuilding sector and puts forward proposals for measures to stimulate demand, to create incentives for innovation and green ships, to encourage product diversification, to safeguard ship financing and to avoid an irreversible loss of employment and skills. The declaration was presented to Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani by an EMF delegation in December 2011.

Besides pushing for the review of the LeaderSHIP strategy, the EMF Shipbuilding Committee has dealt with other topics such as ship dismantling, shipping emissions and social standards in European shipyards, as well as organising a workshop on the potential and opportunities for yards in the offshore wind energy sector in cooperation with the German AgS institute.

The EMF and CESA (Association of European shipyards) continue to engage actively in regular social dialogue meetings at European level facilitated by the European Commission. On the question of skills, training and recruitment needs, EMF and CESA have been awarded a grant from the European Commission for the establishment of the first phase of a sector shills council project which will run throughout 2012. The EMF was also represented in the EU Waterborne Technology Platform.

Event in the European Parliament

A lunch meeting on the state of the European shipbuilding industry was hosted on 6 September 2011 by MEP Gesine Meissner (Germany, ALDE) in the European Parliament. EMF and CESA used this opportunity to present their view on the state of the industry, its outlook and needed action. The meeting was attended by MEPs along with the respective advisers from all political groups.

IMF-EMF Global Conference on Safe, Sustainable and Green Jobs in Shipbuilding-Shipbreaking

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The first joint shipbuilding/ship-breaking conference of IMF and EMF was held in September 2011 in Istanbul. Both organisations intend to explore opportunities for further international cooperation and solidarity in this field. The exchanges between shipbuilding and ship-breaking identified the need and common goal for a “life-cycle” or “cradle to grave” approach in the shipbuilding sector. IMF and EMF called on regulators and industry to take action to ensure the workers’ basic right to life as well as decent working conditions.

Review of LeaderSHIP strategy

Following a meeting with the EMF and representatives from the industry, Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani proposed to review and update the LeaderSHIP 2015 strategy at the EU Competitiveness Council on 5 December 2011. A series of workshops involving all stakeholders, including an EMF delegation, will be organised by the Commission with the intention to update the current shipbuilding strategy and develop a new LeaderSHIP 2020 framework. A first industrial hearing took place in February 2012 followed by the establishment of a Coordination Group in March. A Progress Report on the review process is foreseen to be presented for the Competiveness Council in December.

Members of the Sector Committee ShipbuildingCroatia, Metalworkers' Union of Croatia SMH-IS, Juraj Soljic; Denmark, CO industri, Henry Andersen, Allan Lyngsøe, Claus Jensen; Finland, Metalli, Timo Eklund; France, FOM, Eric Keller, Stéphane Martegoute, FO Défense, David Ollivier-Lannuzel, FGMM/CFDT, Bruno Delavant, Jean-Luc Collin, Christophe Morel, FTM-CGT, Christophe Haspot, Ahil Abdelkrim, FNTE/CGT, Stephan Maunier, Yvon Velly, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec, Patrice Gouret; Germany, IG Metall, Heino Bade; Italy, FIM-CISL, Alberto Monticco, UILM, Mario Ghini; Malta, General Workers' Union, Emanuel Deguara, Emanuel Deguara; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Ruud van den Bergh, CNV Vakmensen, Evert Jan van de Mheen, DE UNIE, George J. G. Kruithof, Bart Willems; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Liv Christiansen; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Krzysztof Zmuda, Miroslaw Piorek, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Grzegorz Schmidt; Portugal, SIMA, Ana Filipe, José Antonio Simoes; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Horia Ciorecan; Spain, MCA-UGT, José Luis Gacio, Manuel Velado, FI CC.OO, José Luis Fraiz, José Ramiro Gonzalez; UK, Unite The Union, Ian Waddell, GMB, Keith Hazlewood

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Defence

In line with the work programme for defence adopted at the EMF Congress in June 2011, the EMF Defence Work Group continued monitoring sectoral and political developments and also launched a new research and social dialogue project.

The new project will examine the industrial and employment perspectives of the European industry for the production of artillery, armoured vehicles and ammunition (land armament systems) and the EMF was awarded an EU grant to carry out this project. The project will run until December 2012 and will involve a study, a workshop and a final conference in November 2012. The project will also involve dialogue with industry representatives, the European Commission, the European Defence Agency and civil society (CCMI of the European Economic and Social Committee).

To prepare the background study, the EMF decided to cooperate with external experts from the Spanish research and consulting group IKEI. The project was officially launched on 15th February and a project steering group was put in place.

Furthermore, a discussion with the European Commission (DG Enterprise) was organized regarding the current state of the European defence industry. There is great concern that sharp cuts in national defence budgets, decreased investment in R&T and increased focus on volatile export markets are putting European companies and jobs at risk. The EMF Defence Work Group requested to be involved in the strategic discussions with stakeholders that the Commission is planning to organise in 2012.

Members of the Defence Work GroupBelgium, ACV-CSC METEA, William Tailler, Paul Liakos, SETCa/BBTK, René Fafchamps, MWB-FGTB, Antoine Fannara, Nico Cue; Finland, Metalli, Jouko Reijonen; France, FOM, Michel Donadey, Jean-Luc Lhardy, FO Défense, David Ollivier-Lannuzel, FGMM/CFDT, Vincent Bottazzi, Gérald Dumas, FEAE-CFDT, Luc Scappini, FTM-CGT, Daniel Lebris, Sylvain Delaitre, FNTE/CGT, Hervé Baylac, Yvon Velly, Eric Brune, Alain Le Cornec, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Dominique Rolland, Christian Sibuet; Italy, FIM-CISL, Marco Bentivogli, Gianni Alioti, UILM, Mario Ghini; Kosovo, SPMK, Bajram Hoxha; Netherlands, DE UNIE, Bart Willems, George J. G. Kruithof; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Zdzisław Goliszewski, Stanislaw Glowacki; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Ioan Neagu; Spain, MCA-UGT, José Luis Gacio, FI CC.OO, Raul Alvarez, José Maria Ordonez; Sweden, IF Metall, Conny Holm; UK, Unite The Union, GMB, Keith Hazlewood

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Mechanical Engineering

A new Chairperson was appointed for the Committee (Dominique Ghiglione, FGMM-CFDT). Unfortunately, there had been no Italian representative in the meetings during the period since our last Congress in Duisburg. However, as Italy is one of the two most important mechanical engineering regions in Europe, our Italian affiliates will ensure active participation in future.

The debate during the September 2011 meeting concerned quite importantly the crisis, and the fear of seeing a “double-dip crisis” in the sector. The other dominant issue discussed was organising, especially in the SME sector.

The sub-sector project “Copernicus” (on construction machinery) was completed, ending with a final conference in Berlin where a Berlin Declaration was adopted.

Following the EMF Work Programme adopted by Congress, a key topic of Renewable Energies was incorporated into the work of the Mechanical Engineering Committee. The affiliated organisations were given the opportunity to nominate additional members with particular responsibility for the renewables sector.

It is to be noted that the Lift SWP will also be closely associated with the Mechanical Engineering Committee in the future and that the White Goods ad-hoc working group will be integrated in the same way.

Members of the Sector Committee Mechanical EngineeringAustria, PRO-GE, Thomas Grammelhofer; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, William Tailler, Guido Nelissen, LBC-NVK, Erik Van Den Heede, CGSLB Métal, Kurt Marysse, MWB-FGTB, Jean-François, Nico Cue; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Zdenek Dobias, Lucie Studnicna; Finland, Metalli, Mika Kärkkäinen, UIL ry, Jani Huhtamella; France, FOM, Eric Keller, Jean-Jacques Gueguen, FGMM/CFDT, Dominique Ghiglionne, FTM-CGT, Pierre Labourdette, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Constanze Kurz, Sascha-Ferry Treml; Hungary, VASAS, Zoltan Szoke, Italy, FIM-CISL Leonardo Burmo, Bruno Vitali; Netherlands, DE UNIE, Bart Willems, George J. G. Kruithof; Poland, OPZZ Metalworkers TUC of Poland, Jerzy Szpecht; Portugal, SIMA, Manuel Cruz, Ana Filipe; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Claudiu Pasarica; Spain, MCA-UGT, Amaro Garcia, Jose Ruiz Munoz, FI CC.OO, Raul Montoya; Switzerland, UNIA, Christian Gusset; UK, Unite The Union, Ian Tonks

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White Goods

In the period under review one meeting of the ad-hoc Select Work Party was held where the work programme was discussed and the possibility of launching a study explored. Solidarity campaigns for Electrolux workers were initiated and several company cases were monitored.

Ad hoc Committee White GoodsBelgium, CGSLB Métal, Kurt Marysse, MWB-FGTB, Nico Cue, Benoît Gerits; France, FOM, Jean-Claude Petit, Eddie Ababsa, FGMM/CFDT, Emilian Koziol, Bruno Delavant, Jean-Luc Collin, FTM-CGT, Ouria Belaziz, Nicolas Chartier, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Pierre-Yves Dorez, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Peter Kern; Italy, FIM-CISL, Anna Trovo, UILM, Ficco Gianluca; Poland, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Małgorzata Calińska-Mayer, Krzysztof Domagała; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Florian Mihai; Slovenia, SKEI, Jure Slemenik; Spain, MCA-UGT, Carlos Romero, Jose Ruiz Munoz, FI CC.OO, Manuel Lezcano; UK, Unite The Union, Mike Smallwood

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Lift

Activities in the lift sector ad hoc Committee were based on tackling the EMF work programme for the next congress period, the EMF position paper on Lift Sector Single Person Working in Lift Construction, introducing an EMF draft position paper on service and maintenance. Updating and further disseminating the EMF brochure, “A Trade Union Look at the Lift Sector” was addressed. One meeting of the ad hoc SWP lift was held.

A European framework agreement on idea management on health and safety with ThyssenKrupp Elevator was concluded and is the first EMF European framework agreement with a German-based company.

Members of Ad hoc Committee LiftsAustria, PRO-GE, Peter Reiter, Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Marc De Wilde, Bart De Ceukelier, LBC-NVK, Sebbe Vandeputte, MWB-FGTB, Jean-François Tamellini, Najar Lahouari; Denmark, CO industri, Jan Toft Rasmissen; Finland, Metalli, Mika Kärkkäinen; France, FOM, Sylvie Galuppo, Cédric Zielinski, FGMM/CFDT, Frank Pfister, Bruno Delavant, Jean-Luc Collin, FTM-CGT, Claudine Van Den Baviere, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, André Legault; Germany, IG Metall, Sebastian Fersterra; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Ans van Uffelen; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Fabian Zlatar; Spain, MCA-UGT, Jose Ruiz Munoz, Carlos Sevilleja, FI CC.OO, Luis Romero; UK, Unite The Union, Mike Smallwood

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HORIZONTAL COMMITTEES

Training and Education

The Horizontal Committee Training did not meet during the period under review.

Members of the Horizontal Committee Training and EducationAustria, PRO-GE, Jürgen Michlmayr, Bruno Kamraner; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Vera De Norre, Béatrice Louviaux, MWB-FGTB, Nico Cue, Jessica Di Santo; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Diliana Yanachkova; Denmark, CO industri, Per Paskesen, Henrik Kjaergaard; Finland, Metalli, Tuomo Paukkunen; France, FOM, Michel Lamarque, FGMM/CFDT, Vincent Bottazzi, Dean Kent, Alain Dermenjian, FTM-CGT, Francine Pierre, CFE-CGC Métallurgie-FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec, Jean-françois Foucard; Germany, IG Metall, Jörg Ferrando; Hungary, VASAS, Herta Meyer; Italy, FIM-CISL, Alberto Monticco, Antonello Gisotti; UILM, Luca Colonna; Kosovo, SPMK, Metush Bytyqi; Luxemburg, OGB-L, Raymond Kapuscinsky; Netherlands, FNV-Bondgenoten, Henk Wijninga, DE UNIE, Bart Willems, George J. G. Kruithof; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Rolf Jørn Karlsen; Portugal, SIMA, Ana Filipe, Alberto Paolo Simoes; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Doru Puiu; Spain, MCA-UGT, Silvia Ramos, FI CC.OO, Juan Blanco; Sweden, Nordic IN, Anna-Lena Börgö-Etaat; UK, Community, Roy Rickhuss

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Equal Opportunities

The Horizontal Committee Equal Opportunities allows affiliated organisations to cooperate and exchange views within the field of equal opportunities and functions as a work platform that promotes the shared objective of real, tangible equality in Europe.

The concept of equal opportunities includes all workers regardless of gender, race or ethnic origin, sexual preferences or disabilities. The Committee considers this definition in the planning of its work. 

EMF internal gender approach

The EMF is committed to integrating a specific gender approach in all its areas of work. This includes objectives as important as equal pay, reconciling professional and private life, as well as combating all forms of gender-linked violence and sexist stereotypes. The integration has taken place through participation by and contribution of the members of the Equal Opportunities Committee in the meetings and work of other committees and vice versa. Members of the Equal Opportunities Committee also participate in the meetings of the Collective Bargaining and Social Policy Committee (CBSPC), in order to improve equality between men and women in the professional world.

The EMF’s willingness to apply the gender mainstreaming principle was already included in the previous Work Programme. Gender differences will be highlighted more adequately thanks to the gender mainstreaming principle. Given the opportunity to start a project on gender mainstreaming, funding from the European Union could be sought.

International Women’s Day

A conference on the issue of pay equality was organised in Vienna in connection with International Women’s Day 2012. In the run-up to the conference, a questionnaire on “Equal pay for men and women” was sent out to affiliates. The questionnaire met with high interest and far-reaching response, and the results were finally presented, discussed and evaluated at the Vienna conference. No SWP meetings have been organised during the abbreviated congress period.

Members of the Horizontal Committee Equal OpportunitiesAustria, PRO-GE, Renate Anderl; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Tinne Van Woensel, SETCa/BBTK, Pia Desmet, MWB-FGTB, Selena Carbonero, Nico Cue; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Reneta Petrova; Denmark, CO industri, Tina Christensen, Anne Lise Nygaard; Finland, Metalli, Matleena Engblom; France, FOM, Nathalie Capart, Brigitte Capelle, FGMM/CFDT, Philippe Portier, Anne Berthin, FTM-CGT, Blandine Bernardia, Laurence Carette, Lamia Begin, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Elisabeth Delattre, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Gabriele Ulbrich; Hungary, VASAS, Aniko Kovacs; Italy, FIM-CISL, Alessandra Damiani, Anna Trovo; Portugal, SIMA, Matilde Lopez, Ana Filipe; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Ionela Isip; Slovenia, SKEI, Mateja Gerecnik; Spain, MCA-UGT, Dionisia Munoz Morales, FI CC.OO, Juana Aguado; Sweden, IF Metall, Eva-Lena Danielsson

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Youth

A main task in the period under review has been the preparatory work for a Youth Conference, which will be hosted by Austrian trade union, PRO GE, in July 2012. The preliminary plans for this event, which is expected to bring together some 80 trade union youth officers, were discussed at an EMF Youth Officers’ meeting held at the EMF on 18th October 2011.

The work of the ETUC Youth Committee continues to be a reference for the EMF’s Youth ad hoc Committee. Activities organised by that group have been monitored and information on them has been conveyed to affiliates via the EMF youth mailing list.

The Youth section of the EMF website has been kept up-to-date with specific information on the Youth meetings organised.

Members of the Ad hoc Committee YouthAustria, PRO-GE, Jürgen Michlmayr, Bruno Kamraner; Belgium, ABVV-Metaal, Fidel Gavilan, ACV-CSC METEA, Eric De Marco, Kathleen Van Walle, MWB-FGTB, Selena Carbonero, Nico Cue; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Evgeni Yanev; Finland, Metalli, Sami Vironen; France, FOM, Sylvain Dolza Barbara Dautin, FGMM/CFDT, Vincent Bottazzi, FTM-CGT, Jerome Lettry, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Bernhard Dobbert; Hungary, VASAS, Zoltan Kovacs; Italy, FIM-CISL, Augusto Bisegna, Paola Guidolin; Kosovo, SPMK, Burim Hajdini; Netherlands, DE UNIE, George J. G. Kruithof, Bart Willems; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Linn Pilskog; Portugal, SIMA, Manuel Cerqueira, Herculano Santos; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Florentin Iancu; Spain, MCA-UGT, Silvia Ramos, FI CC.OO, Mabel Espino; Sweden, IF Metall, Malin Hammarström

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South-East European Region

During the period under review affiliated organisations within the SEE Region met in Tuhelijske Toplice (Croatia), in conjunction with the autumn meeting of the EMF Industrial Policy Committee, and also took part in a joint EMF East and South-East Regional meeting in Skopje (MK). Both meetings took place in September 2011.

The main focus of these meetings was to prepare the Founding Congress of the new European trade union federation as well as to define priorities for future work in the region.

Affiliated organisations that are members of the South-East European RegionBosnia and Herzegovina Metalworkers' and Miners' Union of Republika Srpska (MMU)

Metalworkers' Trade Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SMBIH)

Bulgaria Metalicy National Federation “Metallurgy” Confederation of Labour “Podkrepa” (NF Metallurgy”CL”Podkrepa”)National Trade Union Federation "Metal-Electro" (NTUF "Metal-

Electro")Croatia Metalworkers' Trade Union of Croatia - Industrial Trade Union

(SMH-IS)Estonia Estonian Metalworkers' Federation (EMAF)Kosovo Independent Trade Union of Metalworkers of Kosova (SPMK)Lithuania Lithuanian Unification of Metalworkers’ Trade Unions (LMPSS)Macedonia Trade Union of Industry, Energy and Mining of Macedonia

(SIER)Montenegro Montenegrian Metalworkers’ Trade Union (MTUM)Romania FSS MetaromFSLI-Metal

FNS Solidaritatea MetalSerbia Industrial Trade Union of Serbia (ISS)

GSM "Nezavisnost"Autonomous Metalworkers' Union of Serbia (AMWUS)

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Staff Networking Policy and Solidarity Pact

In the course of the period under review, participants in the “Staff Networking Policy and Solidarity Pact“ project met only once. The meeting focused on problems related to organizing, the Solidarity Pact within the new European federation, HR and future projects. The latter include 1) An update of the study undertaken on the structure and organisational charts of our organisations, recruitment, training or again exchange programmes between EMF affiliates, 2) Seminars for personnel officers and shop-stewards and 3) Staff exchange through facilitating the hosting or placement of trainees – the aim being to promote cross-border transfers and thus develop their network of professional contacts from abroad whilst enabling them to sample trade union work in another country with a different trade union heritage.

Members of the Work Group “Staff Networking Project and Solidarity Pact”Austria, PRO-GE, Renate Anderl; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Marc De Wilde, SETCa/BBTK, Claude Roufosse, MWB-FGTB, Nico Cue; Czech Republic, Odborovy SVAZ KOVO, Dana Sakarova, Jaromir Endlicher, Lucie Studnicna; Denmark, CO industri, René Johansen, IDA, Lotte Ellegaard, Bo Falkencrone; Finland, Metalli, Aslak Haarahiltunen; France, FOM, Marie-Josée Millan, Stéphane Martegoute, FTM-CGT, Patrick Correa, Sylvie Bobin, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Rainer Gröbel, Nadine Mattausch; Italy, FIM-CISL, Gianni Alioti; Luxemburg, OGB-L, Raymond Kapuscinsky; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Doru Puiu; Slovakia, Slovak Metalworkers' Federation, Monika Hrusecka; Spain, MCA-UGT, Javier Urbina ; Sweden, IF Metall, Ulf Sjödin, Nordic IN Jens Bundvad

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Communications

Communications Working Group (CWG)

The Communications Working Group has held two meetings, hosted by affiliated organisations, in the period under review: the first in Vienna on September 23rd 2011 and the second at the EMF Secretariat on February 24th 2012. The latter elected Vidar Gronli of Fellesforbundet as Chair of the CWG.

The main topics of those meetings have been the steps in the creation of the new organisation, the role and importance of communications in the new organisation, affiliates’ use of social media to communicate with members and to recruit new ones and efforts and methods in respect of informing and mobilising affiliates in solidarity activities, as well as European issues.

A small working group has also met to discuss input for future communications in the new organisation, focusing on the publication of mirrored information in English on the new website and affiliates’ websites and on improving the treatment of information between affiliates and their European umbrella organisation. It has been decided to hold only one regular CWG meeting per year in future but with the option to organise meetings on an ad-hoc basis to address specific issues.

Key activities where communications have played a significant role have been the European Action Day on ArcelorMittal on 7th December 2011 as well as the ETUC Austerity Watch Campaign, to which the EMF has not only continually contributed but followed and promoted on its own website. Solidarity campaigns have made up a large part of communication work in the last Congress period, with numerous calls for solidarity and solidarity addresses organised to assist affiliates in cases of conflict or protest actions.

Websites

The EMF regularly updates two main websites, one of which is a joint website with other industry federations:

www.emf-fem.org EMF general websitewww.eucoban.eu European network of collective bargaining

Print media

Three graphic productions have been generated since the last Congress:

- Leaflet summarising the main features of the Copernicus project on the Construction machinery and Construction Material sector.

- Booklet entitled “Negotiating European Works Council agreements - EMF binding guidelines for procedures and contents”. This product was translated and printed in 12 languages and disseminated to the relevant target groups.

- Flyer for the European Action Day on ArcelorMittal, which was translated into local languages across Europe and bore the logos of all participating union organisations.

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Press work

The regular press work has including the updating of press lists since Congress 2011, the gathering and analysis of articles mentioning the EMF, as well as writing and distributing press releases. The ArcelorMittal Action Day, involving coordinated communications work towards print media and the website and organisation of an EMF Press Conference and media event in London, was particularly successful in terms of the press and EMF visibility.

Congress Preparation

In the context of the creation of a new industry federation with EMCEF and ETUF:TCL, much discussion and work have been going on regarding the development of its new website, built around the best features of the three existing ones. The new website will be launched at the Founding Congress on 16th May 2012. Preparations have also focused on corporate identity, public relations events and press activities in the run-up to the Congress and during the Congress, as well as dissemination of the Political Resolution.

Members of the EMF Communications Working GroupChair: Vidar Gronli, Fellesforbundet (N)Austria, PRO-GE, Wolfgang Purer; Belgium, ACV-CSC METEA, Kris Six, LBC-NVK, Monique Braam, SETCa/BBTK, Claude Roufosse, MWB-FGTB, Jean-Michel Hutsebaut, Nico Cue; Bulgaria, Metalicy, Diana Petrova; Denmark, CO industri, Linda Hansen; Finland, Metalli, Timo Korpijärvi, PRO, Jaana Aaltonen; France, FOM, Mathieu Jonqueres, Jean-Yves Sabot FGMM/CFDT, Dominique Gillier, CFE-CGC Métallurgie – FCMTM, Anne-Catherine Cudennec; Germany, IG Metall, Jörg Köther; Italy, FIM-CISL, Augusto Bisegna, Antonello Gisotti; Norway, Fellesforbundet, Vidar Gronli, NITO, Arve Christensen; Portugal, SIMA, Alberto Paolo Simoes, Ana Filipe; Romania, FNS Solidaritatea Metal, Doru Hodos; Spain, MCA-UGT, Rafael Fernandez Canas, FI CC.OO, Nuria Silvan; Sweden, IF Metall, Annette Lack

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