SOCIAL PARTNERS AS BENEFICIARIES OF ESF – TUs training on effective use of resources

from the European Social Fund

Plamen DIMITROV – President of CITUB

Warsaw, 15th January 2013

• New, modern industrial policy • Enhanced human capital• Enhanced social partnership, aimed at:

• Improved legislative framework• Elaboration of common analysis and policy

proposals for improvement of work conditions, ……

• Radical measures against corruption and grey economy

The key challenges

• Own resources – membership fees• National financing (National

employment action plan)• Horizontal programmes of European

Commission (programme PROGRESS, LEONARDO, etc.)

• European Social Fund

Instruments

European Social Fund in Bulgaria

The European Social Fund is financing two Operational Programmes (OPs) in Bulgaria from 2007-2013:

the first to ensure ‘Human Resources Development’ and

the second to boost ‘Administrative Capacity ’,

total budget of 1,4 billion euro

For the current programming period, the social partners in Bulgaria, had achieved 3% of the funds from Bulgaria’s ESF.

After 2 years of negotiations, the social partners had reach an agreement to equally share the funds ESF operation “Enhancing Labour Market Flexibility and Effectiveness through Active Actions by the Social Partners” , every social partner has an equal share of the funds –

4.5 million euro from the Human Resource Development OP

and 200 000 euro from the Administrative Capacity OP.

Major achievements of CITUB project “Security through the law, flexibility through the collective bargaining”

Improving policies of Labour, Employment and Social Security by identifying the major problems in these areas and creating sustainable mechanisms and instruments to measure the labour climate.

Over 40 analyses developed by more than 500 experts of CITUB, federations, regions and partners form Bulgarian Industrial Association.

The size of the analytical documentation (by this moment) is over 325 000 pages.

Raising public awareness and shaping public attitudes towards the promotion and implementation of flexicurity measures in Bulgaria

3 National campaigns:– National campaign “The rights of the one are rights of all”

Within five months (from 9th of May to 8th of October) were visited more than 82 leading companies, in which we have the main trade unions and we met with more then 10 000 members;

• A “Tent” – over 70 days “a place of CITUB”, were placed at the centers of the 37 major cities in Bulgaria. Over 21 000 booklets of “your rights” were distributed. In addition, the Youth organization of CITUB, had taken part in many music festivals and met with over 60 000 young people; “

• Over 105 000 signatures were collected – National campaign “My first workplace” 2011, 2012

• 1 530 teachers form middle schools were trained during the campaign;• 60 000 “My first workplace” brochures and leaflets were made and distributed• Over 58 000 students were trained;• Web-site: http://mfwp.labour-bg.net/

– National campaign “Be INFO” – ongoing

• Development and strengthening of collective bargaining at regional and sectoral level by creating a National Network of Collective Bargaining and Rights

New experts were appointed in the regional structures of CITUB. By this moment, labor contracts with the National Network have 46 experts: 17 lawyers and 29 economists

• Improving the capacity of our union members through the implementation of a comprehensive program of systematic follow up training in Industrial Relations and key competencies.

Trained: 4 365 union members• Or...

Every day since June 2011 until now, a group of at least 25 people is being trained somewhere in Bulgaria

Challenges 2012-2013

Projects that aim the expansion of the range of services, for the

members of CITUB

Fund for financial support of legal representation

Developing a Mutual Fund of CITUB E- Trade union

System of insurance during unemployment

Plamen DIMITROV

President of

Confederation of Independent Trade

Unions in Bulgaria

pldimitrov@citub.net

www.knsb-bg.org