EU perspective on occupational health and safety - role and place of unions Károly György Kiev, December December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Our ultimate goal - Decent work – decent working conditions - Safe and healthy jobs - Need to do: Reinforcing TU involvement in workers representation in safety and health - 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Differing perspectives of workers and employers - For employers: - cost reduction is the priority. - complying with regulations ? - concern (certain) for accidents but … subcontracting, subregistration, - For workers, health is a broader issue. - Be healthy now, remain healthy tomorrow 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Historical background Political & economic transformation - end of 80’s Creation of new trade unions  New environment, topics and priorities - change of the tracks Accession period  Global changes in economy - Crisis  Transposition of EU legislation  Implementation of harmonised legislation – a still open question  Engagement of Trade Unions EU membership  A core question again: Did we change the tracks?  Do we have a proper trade union strategy in the field of representation in H&S?  Did we elaborate effective tools and procedures for Reps?  Do we stimulate and promote sufficiently role of the Reps? Challenges – our experiences as new member states 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Health and Safety Representatives System of workers representation – various realities Systems of workers representation - Trade Unions - Works councils - Mixed 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Health and Safety Representatives System of workers representation – various realitieson One channel (work councils) or Two channels (specific H&S reps) Trade Union reps or other mechanisms ? Legislation and / or collective agreements Coverage (size of companies and other factors) 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Safety Reps - role and legal framework Definition of the role of safety reps: a central issue for Trade Union - Legal status - Criterias - Mandates Legal provisions can help but won’t give an automatic answer 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

But what is a safety rep? A cowboy? Or c omputer?A fire fighter? 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Powers and competencies Complaint by workers Investigate hazards Request measures by employer Examine causes of accidents Participate in risk assesment 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Powers and competenciesy Make proposals Receive information / be consulted in advance Consult workers with special responsibility for OSH Consult on training 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Network of relations Preventive services - internal Safety and health committees External institutions Labour inspectorates Hygiene services Sectoral trade unions National unions 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

European practices – Different approaches Health and safety reps ( 5+ employees) Safety groups ( 5+ employees) Health and safety committees (50+ employees) New forms of workers representation: - Regional H&S reps - H&S advisory services - Joint committees / bilateral structures on regional basis 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Legistlative frames Traditional legistlative Recent legistlative Collective agreement based vs. Voluntary schemes NEED for LEGISTLATIVE PROVISIONS 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Powers and competencies Safety reps - Authorities Receive information from inspectors Submit information to inspector Appeal to OSH responsible authorities Attend meetings of safety committees Access to external experts 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Supportive background Training – appropriate / specific Access to information Time allocation Specific tools Facilities Legal protection 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

For a Full Coverage of workers SME’s Temporary Agency Workers Some solutions: Territorial safety reps Joint health and safety committees 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

And the background? Trade union support Commitment of employers - on legistlative basis - on agreement basis External support (regulatory agencies/ preventive services/ insurance companies Resourcing ? 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

The Framework Directive 1989 *The field of preventive activities *Hierarchy of preventive measures and risk assessment *Workers’ participation *The right to stop working *Preventive services 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Experience as new member states Harmonising law - implementation – know-how transfer 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Fundamentals of practical application of directives Promotion of a new preventive approach/legislation OHS Policy Increasing of awareness, training OHS services OHS MS Risk assessment and documentation Prevention plans, implementation Measuring efficiency Enforcement Workers information, consultation, and participation Setting up OHS Policy Initial Review Planning Organisation Application Performance Measuring Efficiency Audit Revision Policy Improvements Organisational Improvements Developing of the techniques for planning, measurements and evaluations Feed-back for the innovation of the Efficiency 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

From the Directives to the Practice National transpositions Collective bargaining Rights : just consultation or more ? The importance of adequate support Independent Trade Unions activities 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Obstacles, constraints Legistlative framework absence? Outdated? Perception, understanding and awareness of H&S importance Availability of necessary personnel – safety reps Resourcing 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Campaign for our main objectives - Full coverage - Basic rights (equal for all the safety reps: legislation) - Monitoring the reality of preventive systems - Building together a stronger TU impact in OSH 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

Principles ! Workers health and safety are not for sale – this should be understood in the everyday practice ! ! cost and benefit equitation must be made on the level of the society ! ! prevention and protection rather than curement ! 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ

28 th April: An Opportunity 8. December Károly György, MSZOSZ