European Policy and the Practice of Worker Representation on Health and Safety Laurent Vogel ETUC

Safety Reps in the European Union Laurent Vogel HESA department ETUI-REHS

Historical background A double input from the ’70s –New workers ’ strategies for health and safety –Workers’ control on strategic aspects of management: the debate on the introduction of new technologies At EU level: a post-68/73 agenda –The « Vredeling directive » proposal –A new negative context from 79/first 80s

The Framework Directive as a compromise (1) OSH a central priority for social policy in the EU (from the Single Act in 1986) –Less divergences –Already a consolidated tradition –The illusion of a non conflictive area dominated by technical approach –Linked with the market unification (machine directive, chemicals)

The Framework Directive as a compromise (2) « Balanced participation » –Something more than information and consultation –No clear definition –National practice … Coexistence of two conceptions –Management just informs… –Workers and their organisation as an central agent

An era of topdown reforms In most of the countries –Systematic management is strongly consolidated: risk assessment, prevention plans, preventive services, etc… –Industrial relations system is neglected (go on with the existing system in a context changing dramatically !) Some exceptions where no specific OSH representation existed –Italy and Spain (Greece and Portugal to a minor extent)

In Eastern Europe From a Trade Union Control with a context of Party-State dominated TU… …to a liberal pro-management approach with some space for safety reps The debate on TU inspection The debate on general representation from the workers The difficulty to define an autonomous TU strategy for OSH

Present situation Coverage ??? –No systematic monitoring –Excluding factors: Size Trade union density Contingent workers

Structures for safety representation Elected/nominated by TU Joint structures/delegates A OSH specific structure/a general representation structure Specific common structures from SME’s and worksites: still an exception

An effective intervention ? Many factors are preconditions –Rights and competences –Links between safety representation and the general OSH management: participatory risk assessment –Trade union strategy