BASTUN-Brief "Richtlinien der Nordischen Dimension", Dez. 2005
To
Council of the Baltic Sea States
Stockholm, 16 December 2005
Labour Market questions in the Northern Dimension policy from
2007
Northern Dimension Guidelines were accepted the 21st of November. The document
is in many ways a good basis to start the drafting of the final document. We find
one remarkable weakness in it though. Labour market questions are practically
missing. We therefore propose a separate Labour Market Chapter to be included in
the final version. Our proposal performs a common platform for decision makers,
social partners and civil society consisting a genuine social dialogue, full
employment, more and better jobs and decent working conditions.
LABOUR MARKET CHAPTER
The European Social Model embodies a society combining sustainable economic
growth with constantly improving living and working standards, including full
employment, social protection, equal opportunities, good quality jobs, social
inclusion and an open and democratic policy-making process fully involving
citizens in the decisions affecting them. Workers’ consultation, collective
bargaining, a well functioning social dialogue and fair and just working conditions
are keys to productivity and competitiveness and to promote innovation and growth
in Europe.
The following principles are important in a Labour Market Chapter:
 Equal treatment of workers regardless of their country of origin
 Fair competition between companies based on respect for industrial relations and
collective bargaining systems
 Respect for ILO core labour standards as stated in the Declaration.
 Multinational companies with headquarters in the EU or Russia have to live up to
principles stated in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Companies.
In order to promote the development towards well-functioning labour markets in the
northern Europe, it’s useful to develop the Social Dialogue at all levels: at the
national level, the EU-level and also as an element of the Northern Dimension area.
FOLLOW-UP OF THE GUIDELINES
The Northern Dimension Ministerial Meeting held in Brussels on 21 November
agreed on the Guidelines for the Northern Dimension policy, aiming at a new
political declaration and framework document to be adopted in the second half of
2006.
In order to get important labour market questions into the Northern Dimension
Policy we propose a complement in the Guidelines, consisting of the following
amendments (black) to the part “Cooperation Sectors”, point 11:
11. The following ND sector division could be established:
 Economic cooperation (promotion of trade, investments and business level
cooperation as well as social dialogue with labour market partners[1], and
development of the energy, transport and information technology infrastructure);
 Freedom, Security and Justice (facilitation of people-to-people contacts,
prevention of trafficking in human beings, drugs trafficking, illegal immigration
and other cross-border crime, development of border monitoring, rescue services
and good governance, misuse of labour regulations[2] and the efficiency of the
judicial system);
(No modifications in the following bullet points)
We are convinced that bringing Labour Market questions into the Northern
Dimension Policy is important for the future development of the Northern
Dimension Area and also positive for the cooperation between the different partners
in the Region.
The Baltic Sea Trade Union Network
Kristjan Vaigur
BASTUN coordinator
[1]
In order to create an ideal working environment for enterprises and
employees, faire and explicit
regulations are needed. The social partners in
Europe are important actors in the social dialogue
at different levels in Europe.
This model should have a place also in the relations between the EU
and
Russia.
[2]
Equal treatment of workers is often more difficult with foreign employees.
Therefore
special emphasis should be given to create systems of supervision not
only at national levels but also across the borders.