Together with the other European trade union federations, industriAll Europe would like to provide worker representatives and trade union members in EWCs and SE-WCs with the best possible support under those exceptional circumstances.

The recommendations give practical advice to EWC/SE-WC members ranging from postponing (not cancelling) their ordinary meetings, setting clear rules for the temporary use of online meetings for extraordinary information-consultation procedures, requesting written information from management to information sharing among EWC/SE-WC members. The recommendations also call on EWC/SE-WC members to support the efforts of national and European trade unions that are putting pressure on company management to ensure that the most effective measures are taken in each company site to protect workers’ health, safeguard jobs and support workers’ income. 

In times of crisis, worker involvement through information, consultation and participation in company decision-making is crucial to anticipate and deal with social and economic consequences. The current COVID-19 emergency is no exception. 

Luc Triangle:
“We all have a role to play in this emergency. Dialogue between social partners must pave the way for extraordinary solutions to protect workers’ health, safeguard jobs and support workers’ income.” 

“That dialogue must take place at all levels: with EU institutions, with governments but also through collective bargaining at sectoral level and dialogue within companies. In multinational companies, we must ensure that coordinated approaches are adopted, so that all workers are treated equally irrespective of the nature of their employment contract, or of the site or country where they work. European works councils have a key role to play here!”. 

Luc Triangle further states: “Together with the other European trade union federations, industriAll Europe would like to provide worker representatives and trade union members in EWCs and SE-WCs with the best possible support under those exceptional circumstances. We hope these recommendations, together with the national and sector-specific information we provide on our online Covid-19 monitor, will help colleagues to feel better equipped to face the COVID-19 crisis”. 

For more information and further comment please contact senior adviser on company policy Aline Conchon.

Joint recommendations EN, FR, DE, IT, CZ, ES, NL, SV

industriAll Europe’s Covid-19 monitor