ROUND TABLE IN ATHENS (21/01/2008)
Subjects discussed were the following:
1) Presentation of the economic and labour movement situation in Romania.
2) Presentation of the situation of the EWCs in the EU in general.
3) Legal framework concerning consultation. Different definitions.
4) Corporate social responsibility. Social dialogue at an enterprise level.
5) Preparation of the round table in Bucharest.
6) Objective is to invite as many worker representatives as possible, preferably from companies that operate in Greece as well.
7) Another objective is to contribute in establishing EWCs that are as effective as possible.
8) Trade Unions have the right to negotiate. Nevertheless, there is always the question whether some decisions made by the employers may be overthrown by the courts of justice, due to lack of consultation or reduced consultation.
9) Discussion on the management privilege issue. It has been said that in the banks, the communications company OTE etc. there are internal regulations, therefore the management privilege does not exist. However, there are crucial decisions, such as how many new employees will be hired, when, whether and which companies will be acquired etc. that internal regulations do not deal with.
10) Consultation actually is a higher level of information, which has to take place permanently and openly. EWC members should know decisions prior to Directors of the Company. Another point that should be stressed is that EWC members should be given the possibility to fully understand what means the information they are forwarded. Agreements should have provisions, stating that the charge of proving that a subject is not of transnational character or that another subject is confidential and discussions have to be kept in secret, lays on the employer side and not on the employee side.
11) EWC members from different countries should be peers and equals.