Political Resolution 2011-2015

A sustainable future for metal industries:

a decent and organised future for metalworkers in Europe

A strong manufacturing base is essential for sustained economic prosperity and stability in
Europe. A longer term European strategy to secure more and better jobs and reduce
growing socio-economic inequality must be the basis of European integration in the
coming period and should underpin the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The European Metalworkers’ Federation’s raison d’être is to defend and

promote a sustainable future for European manufacturing workers,
fighting for the respect of workers’ rights, and improved working and
living conditions.

The EMF strongly believes that European manufacturing must take

the opportunity to reorient itself towards an economic model
based on sustainable consumption and production, taking a
position of market leader in the development of new goods
and industrial services. Strategic and coordinated economic
and industrial policies should be directed towards deve-
loping this new model of growth based on innovation, eco-
efficiency, sustainable technologies, carbonlean produc-
tion and the internalisation of ecological costs. A strong
manufacturing base is fundamental to launching this
model, and it is dependent on the effective engagement
of manufacturing workers in defining its future direction.

Congress FEM 11/2011

 With decent jobs at the heart of our commitments and in the face of sustained
attacks on the European social model from market and political forces, the
EMF insists on the strengthening of the European social and employment
policies. The current crisis stemming from the domination of the financial
markets over the real economy, as well as the intensifying pressure from
globalisation and environmental challenges, necessitates a fundamental
change in Europe’s social and economic policy framework and corporate
behaviour.
European integration must be grounded on the principles and practices of:
▪▪ the defence and promotion of social and labour rights, including a
guaranteed right to strike at European level,
▪▪ credible life-long learning, active labour market policies including
all workers, and the promotion of social and economic security and
cohesion from cradle to grave,
▪▪ democratic participation of workers in corporate strategies as well
as the anticipation and management of change, and
▪▪ the development of industrial relation systems and strengthening of
collective bargaining rights.
Playing a role in the metal industry involves having a longer perspective
than the next four years. The basic metals, shipbuilding, ICT, machinery
and automotive industries require strategic thinking and investment over
decades. Industrial policy can only be successful when it encompasses a
long-term, sustainable approach.
This vision of a sustainable European economy contrasts with the reality
faced by metalworkers today. Today’s workers are confronted by mutually
intensifying crises: the aftermath of the global economic crisis, the rapid
pace of climate change and increasing resource scarcity, including industrial
raw materials, but more worryingly water and food supplies. The crisis was
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further intensified by the sustained undermining of collective bargaining
systems and negotiated solutions.
Greed, irresponsibility, irrationality and abuses have brought neoliberal
market capitalism and the world’s financial markets to the brink of collapse
and raised the spectre of a prolonged social recession. A banking sector
which creates tremendous wealth for a limited few but which brought millions
of ordinary people into hardship has no social and political legitimacy. With
investors concerned primarily about the next quarterly report, stock market-
driven corporate and public policy is a recipe for failure in manufacturing
industries. We have seen some of our employers take advantage of the
situation to introduce unilateral restructuring, intensify workloads and
increase precarious work in their companies as a means of increasing their
profits against the long-term sustainable interests of our industries. All of
this has taken place in a global context of shifting demand and production
to emerging economies. Our industries need renewed entrepreneurship and
leadership, not the quick buck.
Confronted with the effects in Europe of the global economic and financial
crisis, workers are increasingly worried about their job security. Temporary
measures put in place in many countries and companies to protect workers
have to a certain extent kept down the increase in unemployment, but many
workers have seen their purchasing power collapse as a result of wage
cuts which have been enforced. Many workplaces have been destroyed
and it is unlikely that they will be recreated. Economic volatility has been
accompanied by a huge development of precarious work and extensive use
of subcontracting which deepens the feeling of insecurity about the future
and threatens social cohesion by increasing inequalities.
In this context the Europe 2020 Strategy succeeding the Lisbon Strategy,
launched in 2000, has far from fulfilled expectations. The overwhelmingly
critical view was that the Lisbon Strategy was excessively neoliberal in focus
with social aspects used as policy window-dressing, and was not transparent
or binding enough. In order to avoid the mistakes of the Lisbon Strategy, the
Europe 2020 strategy must be rebalanced to ensure that full employment,
sustainable development and social cohesion are serious objectives, and that
strong social engagement is at the centre of the strategy. Furthermore, the highly conscious of the real dangers posed by nationalism and xenophobic
strategy must support and underpin the attainment of the same objectives populism.
in the rest of Europe outside the EU.

The future of European industry is closely linked with ecological

modernisation, energy efficiency and reduced dependence on primary
raw materials throughout the supply chain and recycling: ‘closed-loop
manufacturing’ (by which ‘end of life’, faulty and returned products become
recycled materials for new production). The only way for Europe to foster
long-term, sustainable economic growth, to maintain its industrial base,
while ensuring social progress and promote environmental sustainability,
is through technological and social innovation. The significant skills and
investment gaps witnessed today in our industries must be tackled if we
are to master the transition to a low-carbon economy and avoid further
deindustrialisation.

This demands a strong agenda towards young and senior workers,

particularly in the context of existing demographic change, to ensure that
job and training opportunities in industry are promoted, as well as a fair
labour immigration policy. It is increasingly clear that the ‘social’ dimension
of the Europe 2020 Strategy is primarily focused on labour market flexibility
and poverty reduction not the ‘more and better jobs’ promised by the Lisbon
Strategy.

Meanwhile, deep, rapidly applied and ideologically-driven national and

European austerity measures are fundamentally unpicking the very fabric
of Europe’s collective social models including collective bargaining systems
and consequently social cohesion. Working people are being forced to pay
the price for the crisis to the very actors who have reaped benefits from
it, with social risks increasingly individualised and falling harder on the
weakest in society.
As a result of the multiple failures of the political establishment to tackle
the social instability caused by these crises, there is increasing alienation
amongst European citizens towards established political forces in the
member states and at European level. With the growth of anti-European
forces and right-wing extremism across the Continent, metalworkers are
Disenchanted, metalworkers have been forced to realise that, even after the
enlargement of the EU to 27 member states, it has not been possible to create
a genuine political union out of the economic community. Europe therefore
needs more than joint projects for the future. It needs projects which people
can become committed to and be inspired by.
This is not unique to the European continent. Social unease has been
reflected most visibly in North Africa and the Middle East where citizens
have risen against political elites and dictators as a result of political

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 oppression, exorbitant prices for basic food staples, unsustainable While the immediate challenge is to support the transition ensuring
levels of unemployment (especially youth unemployment) and the lack of humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts, this must guarantee the peace and
opportunities for social improvement, despite significant national energy freedom in the region which is key to the future of Europe and Africa.
resources and wealth. The unprecedented scale of change underway along
Europe’s borders will have long-term implications for social and economic
development in Europe and outside.

From the European Commission, European Council and European ▪▪ The development of a system of economic governance for the
Parliament, the EMF demands: eurozone which promotes jobs and growth instead of austerity
based on corporate tax and wage dumping within and beyond
the eurozone
▪▪ The strengthening of social Europe, and the sustainable
manufacturing base needed to support it
Together with the European Trade Union Confederation, the EMF commits
▪▪ A reorientation of the Europe 2020 strategy to focus on quality
itself to:
employment, social cohesion and sustainable development

▪▪ A strong industrial and social strategy increasing internal EU
demand through the single market and promoting improvements in
purchasing power of workers to stimulate consumption, alongside
measures to promote new models of sustainable consumption and
production
▪▪ The building of a diverse community-based opposition to current
austerity programmes, with trade unions playing the leading
role in forming this broad popular front calling for a sustainable
economic and industrial future in Europe

▪▪ Tripartite-negotiated approaches to national debt reduction and

macroeconomic policies

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Ensuring a sustainable future for metal industries in Europe
Placing social and labour rights at the centre of the new global economic order
Stronger measures are needed to ensure that multinational companies developments in global trade should take place. Strengthening the internal
playing in the global market place are subject to fair social, fiscal and capacity of the European trade union organisations and building stronger
environmental standards. European external trade and investment policies channels of dialogue globally is vital in this respect.
should be a key instrument to this effect. Europe needs to improve its
collective response to the entrance of new, large economies like Brazil,
Russia, India and China to the world markets and geo-political framework.
Currently, European policy-makers and governments have underestimated
the significance of the changes afoot in corporate behaviour as a result of
the growth of the emerging economies based on state capitalism.

A key effect of intensified globalisation has been the accompanying trend

of value chain restructuring, which has dramatically changed the face
of European industrial employment in recent decades, with outsourcing,
globalisation of communication and transport logistics, and technological
advances enabling companies to operate within a web of often complex
value chains. From an industrial policy perspective the fragmentation and
specialisation generated by value chain restructuring is a real challenge in
itself containing both threats and opportunities, but the knock-on impact
environmentally and socially provides long-term challenges for sustainability.
The broader manufacturing supply chains are key to the competitiveness and
development of strategic sectors for the EU economy. Up to three quarters of
the value of a final good may stem from the supply chain.

Access to European markets through external trade policies should be used

a means of leveraging the improvement of workers’ rights globally rather
than as a means of giving credibility to governments who disregard their own
citizens’ rights. It is deplorable for the EMF that the first free trade agreements
concluded by the European Commission under its renewed external trade
policy have been with countries in which human and trade union rights are
routinely flouted and violated. A comprehensive debate among the members
of the European and international trade union family about recent and future
With Social Europe currently all but stalled, sectoral and corporate
restructuring within value chains has been taking place in a virtual social
vacuum at EU level. The current crisis demonstrates the need for a profound
renovation of the current model of corporate governance, which has proved
its limitations.

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 From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament,
the EMF demands:
▪▪ Increased focus and analysis on the challenges facing European
industrial workers in the context of intensifying globalisation within
the EU institutions
▪▪ A framework on the anticipation and management of change,
which guarantees workers life-long learning creating
opportunities for professional mobility and avoiding dismissals
From employers, the EMF demands:

▪▪ The respect and promotion of core labour standards and human

▪▪ The respect of human and workers’ rights and collective
rights in all EU external activities, and the inclusion of these rights
agreements by multinationals and throughout industrial
in all commercial or political agreements
supply chains and by sub-contractors, regardless of location or
▪▪ A moratorium on European free trade agreements with 3rd countries contractual situation
in which core labour standards and human rights are consistently
violated
From our sister unions elsewhere in the world, the EMF proposes to build:
▪▪ The respect for human and core labour rights as a precondition for
the launching of trade negotiations with 3rd countries and concluding
any bilateral free trade or economic partnership agreement ▪▪ Strong bilateral cooperation to ensure the respect of labour and
environmental rights
▪▪ A new model of corporate governance which gives workers a
stronger democratic voice in corporate strategy-making ▪▪ Common campaigns on EU bilateral trade and investment
negotiations

Without social and economic governance inside Europe: greater regional disparities - not strength in diversity

Internally European integration promised to deliver greater territorial and
socio-economic cohesion promoting the improvement of living and working
conditions. However, regional disparities and fragmentation are increasing
in Europe fuelled by the neoliberal focus of EU policies and stiff regional
competition for resources and FDI.
One of the key assets of Europe should be its diversity of national and
regional cultures and traditions. These could provide a positive competitive
advantage in many instances, allowing different regions to use their natural,
cultural and human resources to best effect. The European single market is
central to extending markets for European products and services. However,
European regional and single market policies are increasingly pitting workers
in different regions against each other because of the imbalanced neoliberal
agenda and deteriorating working conditions.
While the process of European market liberalisation has accelerated
dramatically in recent years, key elements of economic policy remain outside
the EU’s mandate – notably taxation – leading to social and tax dumping.

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The unprecedented magnitude of the financial crisis and its long-lasting
impact on growth and jobs in Europe has generated debate on the
distribution of competences between the EU and its Member States in terms
of eurozone governance and financial regulation of the EU-27. So far this has
not been true for taxation policies. The persistence of the unanimity rule
in the Lisbon Treaty has cemented a status quo based on the assumption
that tax competition is acceptable in EU integration. The EMF is increasingly
concerned by the negative consequences of tax competition in Europe,
especially corporate taxation, on workers’ terms and conditions, public
budgets and long-term regional development and investment.

As the speed of EU economic integration has not been matched by the

development of social cohesion within the EU, attempts to exploit differences
have emerged. Massive social discrepancies between the “old” Member
States on the one hand, and their “new” counterparts and the candidate
States are driving a competition which negatively affects workers in all the
EU Member States. European metalworkers totally oppose multinationals’
strategies to use globalisation in general, and specifically restructuring, as a
means of setting workers from different companies and regions against each
other, undercutting working and wage conditions and weakening collective
bargaining rights and structures. It is not only the case of big multinational
companies playing workers of one plant off against other sites; this is
also done by national governments. The EMF is opposed to the practice
of concession bargaining on wages and working time in Europe because
this reduces workers’ purchasing power, destroys jobs and cuts essential
resources for social security schemes throughout Europe.
European metalworkers’ unions believe that defending and developing the
European social model is fundamental to ensuring that European regions are
able to face the challenges of globalisation and structural change without
promoting a race to the bottom. Therefore, European metalworkers’ unions
are calling for the deepening of political and social integration in Europe,
which must be sped up in the wake of the integration of the internal market
and recent rulings of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) (e.g. the Laval/
Vaxholm, Viking and Rüffert cases).
The importance of worker and trade union participation, social dialogue and
collective bargaining at local, national and European level has never been
higher. Trade union rights are a basic pillar of democratic societies, which
should be defended by all. Strengthening collective bargaining and workers’
participation through enlarged rights at company, national and European
level must remain a central strategic pillar of European integration. However,
European metalworkers are concerned about the concerted and sustained
attacks on fundamental labour rights through European courts in the name of
internal market integration. Companies’ attempts to use legal loop-holes and
different jurisdictions to by-pass and undermine these basic human rights
should be challenged by the European institutions and not encouraged as
we have seen through these recent ECJ cases. A strong position stating that
internal market freedoms are subordinate to fundamental labour rights must
become a cornerstone of European integration. The alternative hierarchy will
bring more strife and social dumping, creating an anti-social Europe and
undermining the public acceptance of European integration.

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 From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament,
the EMF demands:
▪▪ Greater economic coordination between European countries to
tackle the trade imbalances within Europe and ensure that all
regions are able to prosper
▪▪ An effective and genuine policy of co-ordination of industrial
initiatives and real social cohesion within the EU to make sure that
enlargement of the EU does not lead to social dumping and the
worsening of the social situation of millions of workers
▪▪ EU and national funds focused on promoting the creation of new
jobs and promoting investment in innovation and modernising
infrastructure (e.g. in the transport, energy, healthcare technologies
and ICT sectors, etc.) not relocation of existing jobs
▪▪ A concrete “social progress protocol” to guarantee that labour
rights are not subordinate to market freedoms
▪▪ A rejection of all attempts to ‘opt-out’ of European social and
employment rules at a national level, and the full respect for the
Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms throughout the EU
▪▪ The defence and the promotion of social and labour rights, including
a guaranteed right to strike at European level by all institutions
▪▪ A new ‘Monti II Regulation’ guaranteeing workers’ fundamental
right to strike in the European internal market for services
▪▪ A recast of the posting of workers directive, closing loopholes and
ensuring the full respect of collective agreements and workers’
rights
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▪▪ A halt to the fragmentation and undermining of European labour
law and working conditions via different instruments which
create discrimination between employment rights of specific
groups of workers (e.g. single permit, seasonal workers, intra-
corporate transfers, etc.)
▪▪ Support for better implementation of the acquis communautaire
by national governments; preserving the function of the state,
in particular in relation to the justice system, addressing the
problem of the informal economy and increasing anti-corruption
measures
From national governments, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Better and more efficient use of EU funds for the countries’
development, in particular for the development of infrastructure
and industry; and assuring full transparency of the use of funds
▪▪ Development of social dialogue on industrial policy including
social aspects, addressing the lack of vision and instruments for
industrial development
▪▪ Monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of law by
multinational companies
To achieve these ends, the EMF and its affiliates commit themselves to:
▪▪ Fight together to ensure that Social Europe offers comparable
prospects in all regions of our continent
▪▪ Struggle together against any unilateral decision from companies
or governments which creates huge regional disparities
A sustainable industrial policy delivering full employment
European industrial and corporate competitiveness is increasingly
dependent on companies’ capacity to develop and adopt technologies and
strategies for more energy and resource efficiency. For many years, the EMF
has called for a coherent and ambitious industrial policy in Europe; a policy
able to deal with the important structural changes industry faces in the light
of globalisation and climate change.

Technologies for renewable energy and eco-efficient production have a vital

role to play in reducing the costs of energy in the long-term. However, the new
technologies, for instance in renewable energies, will not and could not exist
without participation or products from traditional industrial sectors. New
industrial clusters are not emerging independent of the existing industrial
fabric, but rather clean technologies are emerging from the skills and R&D
of existing industries and value chains. The structural changes underway in
our sectors must be accompanied by adequate social measures and common
conditions regarding location in order to avoid competition between places/
regions.
European industry is currently plagued by falling overall investment
in industrial sites, machinery and crucially in Europe’s greatest asset:
its people and their skills. Without adequate private and public sector
investment the transition to a resource and energy efficient economy will
become unattainable and the social and environmental consequences of
inaction will be devastating for Europe.
Recently, after years of neglect, there has been a modest rediscovery of
industrial policy in Europe and welcome attempts to develop and modernise
the European industrial policy toolbox at horizontal and sectoral levels.
There have been some positive developments, such as the development of
innovation and cluster policies, sector-specific High-Level Working Groups
and Technology Platforms. With new rights to consultation on impact
assessments under the Lisbon Treaty, particularly in sectoral social dialogue
committees, the EMF must address its capacities to deliver co-ordinated
responses on legislative and policy proposals.
However, Europe still lacks a coherent and comprehensive industrial policy
strategy, with trade unions recognised as a central stakeholder, and the
financial means to implement common policies.
In the context of the crisis, many EU member states sought to focus industrial
policy-making back on the national level rather than through increased
European co-operation. The reduction in co-operation between EU Member
States has serious implications on the development of skills given the huge
financial investments required for big industrial projects, particularly in R&D.
The scale of the costs involved means that major technology projects in the
metalworking industries can no longer be provided by a single government
budget, especially not during a far-reaching financial and economic crisis. A
strong EU co-ordination of national policies is needed urgently to ensure that
adequate investment and cooperation is guaranteed.
By tackling industrial policy from the perspective of industrial supply
chains and central manufacturing industries, the EU will be better able to
anticipate technological, economic and social changes and put in place clear
action plans to manage them. This would allow the EU institutions, together
with trade unions and employers, to develop new industrial strategies on
mobility, construction and buildings, defence, ICTs etc.

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 From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, ▫▫ Respect collective agreements
the EMF demands: ▫▫ Secure permanent jobs
▪▪ The creation of a specific Commission Directorate-General for Industrial
Policy, and specific committees in the Council and EP ▫▫ Take over apprentices

▪▪ Pro-active, coherent and sustainable industrial policies focused on ▪▪ Sustainable, affordable and secure energy production as a basic
creating full employment, containment of site competition across pillar of a proactive and coherent EU industrial policy strategy
Europe, and managing the transformation of existing industries and the through significant investment in smart energy grids and renewable
promotion of growing industries/technologies, including: forms of electricity production

▫▫ Systematic screening of value chains by the Commission and tailor- ▪▪ Binding global EU energy efficiency targets are needed and product
made sectoral policies, involving sectoral social partners in the standards based on ‘Top-runner’ model of continual improvement
analysis ▪▪ Innovation policies based on:
▪▪ EU budgetary reform to ensure that industrial policy objectives, ▫▫ A close networking between high-tech and low-tech areas as
supporting the workers in the transition towards an energy- and well as new and traditional industries
resource-efficient model, are adequately financed, as well as new ▫▫ A broader definition including non-technological innovation (i.e.
financing measures and tools, which should be subject to social and social, organisational, and structural aspects of innovation),
environmental conditionality, including: with a new responsibility for DG Employment to carry out a
▫▫ Financial transaction tax major European campaign on the theme of employee-driven
▫▫ The possibility for the ECB to issue euro-bonds as a tool to finance social innovation
sovereign debt while reducing the spreads in public bond markets, ▫▫ Making better use of the workforce and workers’ representatives
thus decreasing the cost of capital by using the creditworthiness ▪▪ Tailored policies for energy intensive industries focused on
of the EU as a whole and to attract domestic and foreign savings improving process technologies and energy efficiency, whilst
▫▫ Strengthened European Investment Bank avoiding carbon leakage
▫▫ Measures against tax dumping and evasion ▪▪ A reliable access to raw materials: sufficient supplies, stepping-up
▪▪ The creation of an EU fund to support the workers involved in new recycling, development of substitutes
sustainable production processes ▪▪ Sectoral action plans for the key industrial sectors
▪▪ Measures to ensure that EU funds promote sustainable investment ▪▪ Development of long-term visions/strategies on the future of
including conditions on EU regional and structural funds to make manufacturing in Europe
sure that the period of commitment from companies in exchange for ▪▪ Promotion of innovative public procurement and development of
subsidies is extended from 5 to at least 10 years with an amendment of ‘lead markets’ as tools to introduce new and sustainable products
the European Transparency Initiative and services
▪▪ We need an industrial policy, which focuses on the interests and
needs of the employees and creates decent work. This means that an
From our employers, the EMF demands:
enterprise can only receive state aid or public procurement contracts if
at least it commits itself to: ▪▪ Strong commitments to European workforces through investments
in people, tools and sustainable production
▫▫ Avoid forced redundancies
▪▪ No dismissals and good solutions for all workers affected by
▫▫ Pay wages which secure a livelihood
restructuring

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Ensuring a decent and organised future
for metalworkers in Europe
Fight against increasing precariousness at work and rising inequality
In recent decades there has been a dramatic change in the pattern of
industrial employment. A huge and deep ply worrying increase in precarious
work in all European countries and industrial sectors has taken place. There
is an erosion of what are classified as the ‘norm’, ‘standard’ or ‘typical’ forms
of employment.
Considering the endemic skills gaps in most manufacturing sectors, the loss
of these workers and their skills poses a fundamental question about the
sustainability of our industries. For those still in work, acquired rights are
increasingly being called into question with demands for more flexibility
and precarious work arrangements. As industrial plants have re-launched,
the EMF is increasingly concerned by the dramatically reduced numbers
of workers re-employed to operate them and the increasing skills gaps
emerging in several sectors. In some cases, half the number of operators and
staff is on-site compared to before the crisis and the number of precarious
jobs in our industries has increased dramatically.
The increase in precarious employment, encouraged by changes in legislation,
destabilises labour markets and disconnects an increasing number of people
from the chance to reach a secure and adequate life protection and future
perspective by the income of own work. The current focus of the agenda of
the European Commission and followed by many EU governments solely on
flexibility, without security, and their roll back strategy on labour and social
rights, will have disastrous effects on the European labour market. Young
people, women and migrants are particularly affected by this development.
These groups were undoubtedly the first victims of the economic crisis and,
at the onset of economic recovery, precarious jobs will also be amongst the
first to be offered again and, quite possibly, with even worse conditions than
the ones we know today.
This development is inacceptable for social and economic reasons.
Deregulation and extension of precarious work does not create social
progress by creating additional jobs. On the contrary, formally secure
jobs, social standards and workers’ rights are under pressure and will be
undermined. All efforts must be made to drive back precarious jobs and to
protect social standards for the employees.
The EMF and its affiliates therefore decided to initiate the Second EMF
Common Demand on the topic of “for more secure employment – against
precarious work” in the coming collective bargaining rounds.
Nevertheless, not everything can be solved by collective agreements in all
cases and the EMF cannot neglect the legal aspects closely related to this
topic.
The EMF supports the creation of a strong European social dialogue capable
of playing its role in European employment and social policy. Strong national
social dialogue must also be supported and strengthened.
The EMF is resolutely against the neoliberal assault on collective bargaining
and social dialogue.
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 From the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament,
the EMF demands:
▪▪ A European employment strategy guaranteeing quality employment
in our industries, labour mobility and the strengthening of the
‘security’ dimensions of labour market policies
▪▪ A halt to the further de-regulation of labour markets throughout the
EU
▪▪ Far stronger political support for the social dialogue at all levels,
including reinforced support for capacity-building of trade unions
and employers’ organisations in Europe
▪▪ Social policies which promote quality employment and cohesion not
working poverty
▪▪ Equal employment rights and protections for 3rd country nationals
working in the EU
Active wage policy for fair, secure deal for all workers
Rising wealth inequality and mass working poverty within and between
European countries is fuelling a deep social recession in Europe. The
excessive disproportion in pay structures between senior management and
their workforces has to be rebalanced (i.e. the maximum bonuses awarded
to top management must be regulated). The share between profit and
wages should be more fairly balanced in order to support the development
of workers’ purchasing power.
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From the national governments, authorities and employers the EMF
demands:
▪▪ Open-ended contracts must remain the legal or collective
bargaining norm in the light of precarious employment
▪▪ Equal pay, equal treatment and equal rights for temporary
agency workers as workers in the user enterprise
▪▪ Increased investment and control powers to labour inspection
services
The EMF can observe lower collective bargaining results due to the crisis.
The effective income, meaning the income which is actually paid to
employees, has already fallen in many European countries since 2009.
This is the result of the job security measures that have been taken, which
include various types of reducing working hours. This already dramatic
trend has drastically increased since 2010 due to the plans of various
European governments to freeze or cut wages. This is an attack on collective
bargaining, which we cannot accept.
This income development will be even more problematic due to the increasing
differences between incomes in the respective European countries.
Export orientated countries in particular have increasingly improved their
competitive positions and by so doing have exacerbated the imbalance within
the European Union, particularly because the exports have increasingly been
financed by crediting neighbouring countries, such as Greece.
Due to the described development of collectively agreed wages, which was
lagging behind the productivity development in some European countries,
and the ever stronger effective wage drop observed as of last year, the
convergence of income in Europe planned through collective bargaining
coordination has not yet been achieved. This negative wage drift was
created by the increasing number of precarious jobs, decreasing coverage of
collective agreements and the increasing number of deviations from existing
collective agreements.
There is a radically different socio-economic picture in South East Europe
compared to Central and Western Europe. Labour costs in the region are
greatly lagging behind the average costs in Central and Western Europe.
At the same time, the cost of living has rapidly risen and the percentage of
people living in poverty has increased significantly.
From employers and their organisations, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Wage increase covering inflation-rate and a balanced share of the
productivity gains
▪▪ No wage cuts or freezes
▪▪ Working time solutions guaranteeing a fair work-life balance
▪▪ Increasing the lowest incomes. Where appropriate, can this can be
achieved through minimum wages (whether statutory or through
collective agreement)
In the face of the crisis, European collective bargaining coordination
becomes substantially more difficult. If, in the past, it was limited mainly by
negative wage developments it now encounters further difficulties because
of restrictions imposed by transnational organizations, such as the European
Commission and the International Monetary Fund. The consolidation
programmes of indebted EU countries require drastic cuts in wages and
collective bargaining autonomy. But nevertheless the European trade unions
still see no alternative to the coordination of European collective bargaining
policy if they want to defend the interests of workers in Europe.
Greater solidarity in collective bargaining is an essential instrument to defend
workers’ interests in the crisis and its aftermath. Collective bargaining must
defend an active wage policy with the objective of a strong wage increase
covering the inflation rate and a balanced share of the productivity increase.
Collective bargaining must find working time solutions for the benefit of
workers (humanisation of work and work-life balance models), fight wage
cuts and reduce the low-wage sector in Europe.
To achieve these goals, the EMF will:
▪▪ Continue and strengthen the EMF European wage coordination
strategy
▪▪ Enlarge and defend the coverage rate of collectively bargained
wages
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 Take action to improve the quality of working life and health protection
Companies set up work organisation systems for immediate productivity
purposes, usually without taking the employee’s well-being at work into
account, without sufficient consideration for the employee’s health and
without offering very much in return.
The EMF is witnessing a de-compartmentalization of work, a dual hierarchy
(job – project), the speeding up of communications via new technologies, etc.
The setting of objectives is accompanied by pressure to respect deadlines,
the more rapid succession of projects, planning and description of best
practice and the monitoring of economic indicators to the detriment of the
quality of the work undertaken. The employee’s room for manoeuvre and
autonomy is diminishing and work-loads are becoming heavier and more
stressful, thus generating risks or psycho-sociological problems.
The demanding nature of work has many facets: bio-mechanical hyper-
solicitation, such as repetition of movements or a wide range of movements,
the strength exerted, prolonged static posture, carrying heavy loads leading
to fatigue and muscular-skeletal injuries (MSI), long working hours or
working hours that run counter to biological or social patterns such as night
work, exposure to hazardous chemical products, industrial noise, cold, high
temperatures, vibrations, etc.
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These constraints can have harmful effects upon health and life expectancy.
They affect sleep patterns and the work-life balance. They are also factors of
occupational accidents or injuries.
Today, human resources management is undertaken on the basis of a variety
of standards and indicators, which mainly serve to evaluate performance
whilst neglecting the human factor and conceal the realities of work.
The paradox is that the emphasis is put on individual evaluation systems
whereas it is the collective work and collective competence that prevails
within companies.
Some activities include « industrial risks » for workers and for the environment
linked to the type of substance used, manipulation of these substances, the
tools used, the manufacturing processes, transport or storage, pollution,
energy sources, etc.
Social dialogue should not be limited solely to remedying the negative
consequences of working life. It is also necessary prior to making the
organisational choices which will affect working and living conditions.
 From the European Commission, European Council and European
Parliament, the EMF demands:
▪▪ The improvement not deregulation of the EU legal framework
protecting workers’ health and safety, its enforcement by an
efficient labour inspection and the development of independent
preventive occupational health services, together ensuring that risk
assessments are fully implemented in all the workplaces with the
participation of the workers and their representatives
From employers and their organisations, the EMF demands:
▪▪ To protect health and safety at work and improve the quality of
working life for employees when making choices in respect of work
organisation systems
▪▪ To ensure that work organisation and its consequences for
employees are a topic for social dialogue prior to decision-taking
▪▪ To eliminate occupational hardship and hazards, as well as
environmental industrial hazards or reduce these as far as possible
Fair and secure pensions: a framework for today’s retired and tomorrow’s metalworkers
With 23 million unemployed in Europe and increasing numbers of workers
in precarious and low-paid jobs, the future of state pension systems has
been challenged by lower contributions due to the increasing social crisis
and the economic crisis, threatening to undermine the system and millions
with elderly poverty.
Pension policies cannot be seen as divorced or separate from wider
employment policies, and solutions must be negotiated.
With supplementary pension funds at risk as a result of the near-collapse
of the financial markets and state pensions now in the eye of the austerity
storm, increasing numbers of workers are facing an uncertain retirement and
▪▪ To take preventive action against such hardship and hazards
▪▪ To ensure that their demands towards their employees are
accompanied by the provision of appropriate means allowing
employees more initiative, more responsibility and increased
involvement in their work. These means include, in particular:
training, information, clear objectives, measurable targets and
the necessary time and opportunity to discuss concerns related
to their work in order to find remedies for the difficulties and
vocational hazards
From the ETUC, and hence ETUI, the EMF calls for:
▪▪ A common trade union strategy on the main issues arising in
the occupational health and safety, also considering sector/
profession specific concerns
old-age poverty. Decent work must be followed by decent retirement and
inter-generational solidarity.
Persisting employment problems (unemployment, access to employment
and precarious working conditions) coupled with the ageing of the
population, represent extensive risks for our social protection systems in
general. Fundamentally, the long-term sustainability of our social protection
systems is of deep concern for all European workers (health and pensions in
particular). It is important to defend the statutory pension systems while at
the same time continue to use other means at our disposal, like collective
agreements, to ensure a fair retirement for our members.
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 However, the conditions of access to our welfare systems are under attack
today through government cuts and austerity measures do not always
guarantee equity and social cohesion. We are today faced, on the contrary,
with persisting inequalities and further exclusions. If we are to preserve our
welfare systems and ensure that they benefit the greatest number of persons
possible in an equitable manner, we must take action in respect of the actual
content of the reforms that are to be carried out.
From national governments and the EU institutions, the EMF demands:
▪▪ A strengthening of social dialogue and negotiated solutions must
be undertaken to ensure an inter-generational pact capable of
guaranteeing universal pension provision based on solidarity and
decent work, giving priority to ensuring that low-paid workers are
covered
▪▪ Index-linking of statutory pensions to ensure purchasing power and
avoid elderly poverty
Taking hold of the agenda: using our information, consultation and participation rights effectively,
redefining solidarity and transnational company cooperation in favour of workers
Industrial democracy is a pillar of the European social model. The right
of employees and their representatives to be involved in the decision-
making processes within companies is recognised in law and custom and
by agreement across the entire EU. European legislation seeking to close
the gap between national worker information, consultation and participation
rights and those developing at the European company level (e.g. within
the scope of the EWC Directive, the SE Directive and the European Private
Company Directive), has been crucial in ensuring that workers are able
to exert influence at the appropriate levels in today’s highly integrated,
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Everyone must be covered by national social protection systems, regardless
of employment contract, nationality, age or gender, ensuring that all face
dignified retirement prospects.
▪▪ Stronger employment and anti-discrimination policies targeting
older workers, particularly those aged between the average
retirement age and the statutory retirement age
▪▪ Strong action against tax and social contribution avoidance
▪▪ Putting pressure on states to develop reliable social security
and pension systems, which are all the more important when
the economy, labour market and society as a whole are not
functioning well
transnational companies, thereby also strengthening their hand in local
negotiation, and where they exist, participation processes.
Better worker involvement in shaping the future of their companies via
participation in the development of company policies should be a key
priority of the European institutions, in order to ensure the effective exercise
of information, consultation and participation rights, as well as to secure
effective anticipation and management of change. In today’s integrated
Europe, these worker involvement rights must be coordinated across the
local, national and European levels within companies. In order to achieve
this, workers have to be informed and consulted in due time about planned
company decisions. They have to be given the possibility to express an
opinion which will be taken on board by management. Moreover, in the
context of increasingly complex value chain restructuring, new forms of
information and consultation are needed within supply chains to ensure that
workers dependent on the strategic decisions of main manufacturers are
able to anticipate changes as well.
Coordination of unions active in multinationals can represent a key to
generating collective bargaining power and preventing workers being
played off against each other. It also creates the preconditions to conclude
European Framework Agreements which enable the trade unions at national
level to pool their strengths and negotiate high common standards for
workers across Europe. Going beyond mere statements of solidarity to
taking concrete action is a painstaking process of building trust and finding
From the European Commission, European Council and European
Parliament, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Close and stringent monitoring of the actual implementation of the
Information and Consultation Directive, the recast EWC Directive, the
SE Directive and the European Private Company Directive in order to
ensure that the worker information, consultation and participation
rights are fully available across the EU. This includes decisive action
by the European institutions to establish, defend, and maintain a
high level of workers’ rights across the EU
▪▪ A legal framework at European level on transnational collective
bargaining and a consistent and mandatory policy on worker
information, consultation and participation with uniform definitions
of these terms in all EU legislation based on the highest level
common ground. This process has taken many years to develop within the
EMF and needs to be continually nurtured. The EMF’s flexible instrument
of trade union coordination groups has proven invaluable in fostering
the involvement of and willingness to cooperate among EMF affiliates in
addressing company-level issues. Co-operation with national and local trade
union representatives and the companies is of high importance to the EMF.
Direct contact is vital for both the acceptance and the strengthening of a
European view and approach by workers and trade union representatives at
national, local and company level. European works councils and SE-works
councils have a vital role to play in this coordination. Worker representatives
in these bodies should have strengthened rights and access to facilities.
There is still much to do to ensure that workers are not pitted against each
other by companies or politicians. The trade unions also need to strengthen
their day-to-day cooperation in the defence of workers’ rights and interest
across Europe.
From manufacturing employers, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Effective and timely information and consultation, undertaken in
good faith
▪▪ Engagement in negotiating European framework agreements
requested by trade union coordination groups
▪▪ Commitments and negotiations on long-term corporate
strategies and transparent investment and social responsibility
policies
▪▪ Improved and transparent monitoring of sectoral and company
economic and employment indicators to better anticipate
industrial change, skills needs, segments of the sector at risk,
and to ensure workers have access to real information and
consultation on structural and work organisational changes
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 To achieve these ends, the EMF and its affiliates commit themselves to:

▪▪ Strengthen practical commitment to European solidarity and the development of common company strategies, especially
through the activation of ad hoc trade union coordination groups

▪▪ Develop a wide-spread awareness of the cross-border implications of local action

▪▪ Work to enhance the bargaining power of local union organisations by intensifying cooperation and exchange of information
across borders

▪▪ Strategically combine rights to information, consultation and participation and trade union intervention at all levels in order
to achieve better conditions for all

Investing in tomorrow’s metalworkers today: a central role of training and education

Given the pace of technological and social change, increasing globalisation,
and the consequent changes in work organisation, European metalworkers
recognise the need to encourage training, imagination and innovation
and equip every worker with new and better skills, with knowledge and
understanding of interrelated contextual factors.
Education for all is a basic precondition for all democratic societies,
including civic knowledge. Training is essential for democratic participation
in companies. For trade unions, this is a fundamental cornerstone of our
action to educate, mobilise and organise workers.
Even in the economically strong member states of the European Union the
proportion of low-skilled workers is too high. Fundamentally, our industries
rely on well-resourced and high quality state education systems, national and
European education policies and investments must ensure high standards in
basic education for all. The expansion of the advanced professional education
and higher education in universities, particularly in science, engineering
and technologies, as well as of the state education and vocational training
sectors, plays a crucial role for social and economic development of Europe.
The present reliance on initial education and the occasional and ad-
hoc upgrading of skills is inadequate and outdated. If we are to meet
the challenges of the 21st century competence development has to take
the place of skills development. Traditional training programmes in our
industries and companies have improved the conditions for job security for
workers who engaged in them. If traditionally re-training mostly focuses
on the acquisition of new workplace-related requirements rather than the
development of comprehensive competence, it does not necessarily lead
to an increase in employability of workers. If the job they are trained for
disappears (not merely changes), the present approach to training, which
focuses only on the requirements of the existing workplace and related
adjustments of skills does not provide workers with the occupational skills

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and competence needed to find employment of a different kind quickly. The
size of the changes underway in our industries as a result of the economic,
climate/energy and demographic crises demands a new approach to training
and education through recruitment, retention and workforce development
policies. These are best delivered at sectoral level to ensure that workers
From the European Commission, European Council, European Parliament
and national governments the EMF demands:
▪▪ More transparency and permeability between and within national
education systems
▪▪ Equal access to qualified training measures and further education,
improvement of the condition for qualified employability especially
of low-skilled workers, migrants and socially disadvantaged workers
▪▪ Establishing a democratic procedure, with full social partner
involvement, to[develop and implement the European Qualifications
Framework (EQF). National Qualifications Frameworks (NQR) linked
to the EQF must be transparent. Informal competences, such as
social and personal competences, must be recognised within the
EQF
Europe needs strong metal unions
to take our industries towards a sustainable future!
throughout the value chain are able to take advantage regardless of company
size or employment contract. Particular care should be taken to ensure that
all workers, including older, younger and migrant workers, have access to
qualifying training opportunities.
▪▪ Legislation guaranteeing the right to participation in vocational
education and training free of charge for the unemployed and for
all workers during normal working time
From employers at all levels, the EMF demands:
▪▪ Maintenance and upgrading of the skills and knowledge of the
entire workforce, including replacing retiring workers with new
staff and maintaining apprenticeships
▪▪ Inclusion of individual rights to vocational training in all collective
agreements and improvement of existing provisions
▪▪ Increase of healthy jobs and training which allow further
qualification
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 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5 (bte 10)
B -1210 Brussels
Phone: +32 (0)2.227.10.10
www.emf-fem.org

Design: Creatin • Photography: Andy Michaelis, Xavier Dutoit and EMF