Updates

Workshop III 14.10.2022 - Phase IV Adaptation

On October 14, 2022. In 2018, a symposium meeting was held via the zoom application on the project called "Put the pedal to the metal - Agile response to the Covid 19 crisis", which was opened by the president Stefka Primova as the main applicant - SFMM CL Podkrepa - Bulgaria and welcomed everyone with her colleagues.

As part of the first panel discussion, the basic results of the project related to the implementation framework of the observed anti-crisis measures in the metal sector were elaborated. Moderator and expert Nađa Gojović briefly mentioned to the participants that the project is in phase IV as the final phase of the project, which implies "action" and reminded the participants that 3 phases have been completed in the project so far, namely Phase I: 'Beginning, Phase II: 'Impact' ', Phase III: "Adaptation" and now Phase IV: "Action", as well as through all these phases, the goal was for the participants to acquire knowledge about the mechanisms of information and consultation during crisis situations and the application of agile methodology in the management of the organization for the time of the Covid-19 crisis, as well as to find possible and sustainable anti-crisis measures, which they will use in the future as a method for managing crisis situations in companies.

The general conclusion of the experts after all the implemented stages of the project is that the most important anti-crisis measure is cooperation through information and consultation, i.e. promoting cooperation between employers and unions, finding agile-elastic solutions for the crisis with an emphasis on the key role played by social dialogue at the company level .

The expert also pointed out that this phase IV should be focused on the elaboration of the basic results of the project, as well as that the results on the state of social dialogue during the Covid-19 crisis and the application of information and consultation during it were obtained through the analysis of survey questionnaires from 5 countries participating in the project.

She pointed out that the main objectives of the Symposium are to promote the achievements and collect further feedback, in order to improve the framework, before distributing the final version of the publication.

At today's meeting, the participants together with the expert need to go through the topics related to: preparation of the final publication: content - recommendations for managing the Covid-19 crisis in metal sector companies; elaboration of the main result of the project: a video promoting social dialogue in companies, information/instructions for the organization of upcoming national meetings

The essence of the held Panel session is to gather feedback and develop recommendations from project participants and panellists, experts from Poland, Croatia, Serbia, and Belgium.

Through the held panel discussion in which the panelists took part, namely: Marek Benio, vice president of the Institute for Labor Mobility from Poland, Darko Šeperić, executive secretary for education projects and European affairs in the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia from Croatia, Izabela Sorbino, senior policy advisor of Ceemet, Miljana Stojšić Stojanovska, director of the Union of Employers of Vojvodina from Serbia and Luc Triangle, general secretary, Industriall European trade union

The panelists pointed out that new problems have already appeared even before the end of the Covid crisis, which were caused by the war in Ukraine, and which are reflected in inflation and the rise in prices of basic foodstuffs and the energy crisis. All these problems affect the labor market and again, they mostly affect employers and workers in terms of business problems and living and working conditions.

The general conclusion is that during previous crises, such as the World Financial Crisis of 2008, a major role was played by the cooperation of social partners, as well as that during every crisis there is a limitation of the possibility of sales and reduction of costs, as well as the workforce.

It was also pointed out by the panelists that an intelligent response to the crisis is an agile and elastic compromise that everyone in the tripartite dialogue is ready for. The governments of the participating countries mainly helped through the Covid 19 crisis with public funds to get through the crisis with financial assistance to the most vulnerable activities in maintaining employability.

The recommendation is that the countries should have learned a lot about globalization and that it is necessary to return production within the borders of the country, develop strategic autonomy, develop the country's economic policy, economic independence, develop economic strategies, because a crisis always represents an opportunity and a challenge.

That the Covid-19 crisis has led to uncertain times that pose a risk to the retrogression of workers' rights, to increased labor migration and labor shortages,

It is necessary to have flexibility in the social dialogue, to quickly adapt to new circumstances and endurance, new rules and new obligations for employers and workers.

A major role can be played by European works councils, by devising and developing economic strategies for the European Union.

A large number of countries participating in the project concluded bilateral agreements with employers as a measure to solve crises, as a type of social pact with which they acted together with demands and proposals in relation to the state and demands for making anti-crisis plans

Regarding the local impacts after the publication, it is necessary to hold national workshops in Sofia, Warsaw, Madrid, Belgrade, Podgorica in November-December 2022. At the end of the meeting, the expert and moderator mentioned the task of the national experts at the workshops, namely:

At the end of the meeting, the expert gave instructions and information for holding the upcoming national seminars in the home country, where the participants should make presentations of projects, goals, anti-crisis measures and presentation of the publication, -1 day, (30 participants), until 12.12. December 2022. Information about the national meetings (budget, lists, etc.) will be delivered at the beginning of November - it is necessary to prepare minutes (1 page) as key notes from the meeting and 2 articles in brief about the project and anti-crisis measures in the home country that will be published in local news/ newspapers, and in addition on the partner's website/ FB and Instagram profiles.

The participants and panelists were presented with a proposal for the content of the publication, which will be based on the discussed topics and presentations that were processed during the project.

The general conclusion of all participants, panelists and experts on the project is that the most important anti-crisis measure is cooperation through information and consultation, i.e. promoting cooperation between employers and trade unions in finding agile-elastic solutions, as a response to the crisis, with an emphasis on the key role played by social dialogue has at the company level.