ECC Regional Debate on Employment Conditions and Labour

On the 30th of November the fifth and final debate of the European Citizens’ Consultations (ECC) was held in Berlin, Germany. The debate involved experts from Austria, Germany, Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic in order to discuss employment conditions and labour in the European Union.  The conference entitled “20 years after the Fall of the Wall: Employment conditions in Europe – Challenges and Perspectives” took place at the Information Center of the Federal Press Office in Berlin.

After a welcome note by Bernd Hüttemann, Secretary General of the Network European Movement Germany and a general introduction of the project by Stefan Schäfers from the King Baudouin Foundation, Isabella Biletta from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions gave a Key Note speech on the topic “Flexicurity and Working Conditions”. The following panel discussion composed of the experts Elisabeth Schroedter (MEP), Maria Bilkova (Former Director General of the Czech Public Employment Service), Vanda Pecjak (Association of Employers of Slovenia) and Dirk Bergrath (German Metal Workers Union) focused on whether European labour conditions could be improved by implementing a harmonised labour code. The participants of the panel agreed that a harmonised labour code is the future of Europe while it is still very unclear how the detailed implementation will look like as also no time line is currently known. It was clear that the item of social security in Europe is not harmonised and only based on mutual recognition. “Politics give the implementation of social security high priority and see it as a major aim of the European Union”, Mrs. Schoedter said. She continued, explaining that implementing decent social security levels all over Europe is very often vetoed by the Members States and therefore difficult to be achieved.

Moreover, with concrete reference to the Danish model, “flexicurity” can only be developed under certain preconditions in a system with a very high labour code. In Denmark, employees and trade unions have a bonding level of 90 to 95 percent. In Eastern Germany this bonding level is of about 33 to 40 percent. This underlines that certain models need certain preconditions and in the particular case of “flexicurity” a European-wide, harmonised implementation would only be possible if trade unions and employees are affiliated to each other on the same level as they are in Denmark. She concluded that it is our concern to have at least a minimum level of labour conditions all over Europe.

Further questions of interest were how much influence the green industry has, also the effect climate change will have on European employment conditions and how “flexicurity” can be embedded in a harmonised labour code. 

The second panel was introduced by a presentation of Gerald Rosskogler from the European Commission. Mr. Rosskogler focused on the so called “Gender Pay Gap”, the unequal payment conditions for man and woman carrying out the same work. During the discussion, together with the experts Katarzyna Bekasiak (Former President of the Polish Federation of Business and Professional Women), Dr. Katharina Erdmenger (European Women Lawyer’s Association) and Dr. Hans-Peter Klös (Director and Labour Market Policy at the Cologne Institute for Economic Research), it was said that the legal basis for equal pay exists while the implementation seems to be problematic. Since the Treaty of Rome, already referring to the need of equal pay, payment conditions have improved but still remain unequal. Salaries in Europe differ and women have to work more hours than men when holding a comparable position.

In addition regional differences cause significant disproportions. In Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic the gender pay gap stands at 23 % while in Poland it is only at 7 %. This is due to the structure of the employment- and economical markets. The polish structure consists mainly of self-employed workers running small and medium sized businesses. Women administrate 35 % of those small and medium sized business which equals to more than 60 % of the gross domestic product.
Finally, in order to reach a general, Europe-wide comparison, aspects like education, age, part or full time employment need to be taken into account.

The next steps are to formulate minimum conditions for employment standards at the European level and to prevent stereotypes that lead to the gender pay gap. The aim is to change people’s minds so that in very practical terms fathers engage in child care and women are not the ones anymore who will have to interrupt their careers to go on maternity leave. In addition political efforts should be made to enhance and to increase child care services.

For photos, please click here.