27 October 2010 Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee on Steel: Training and Lifelong Learning WG Meeting Report (Brussels, 19 October 2010)

Transcription

1 27 October 2010 Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee on Steel: Training and Lifelong Learning WG Meeting Report (Brussels, 19 October 2010) I. Participants Ms Loredana Lazarescu (ArcelorMittal Uniromsider) Ms Georgiana Moise (Uniromsider) Mr Jaroslav Raab (Hutnictvi Zeleza) Mr Martin Kunkel (German Steel Federation) Mr Hugues Fauvilles (ArcelorMittal) Ms Hanna Salovaara (Ruukki) Mr Enrico Gibillieri (EMF) Mr Adam Ditmer (Solidarnosc - Poland) Mr Alberto Simoes (SIMA - Portugal) Ms Nathalie Darge (EUROFER) II. Introduction and subjects discussed during the meeting The Chairman (Enrico Gibellieri EMF) welcomed the participants. The agenda was then approved. The following items were discussed: 1) Update on data collection (quantitative information on employment) In the framework of the Training WG, both organisations had agreed to launch a new project on training initiatives in the EU steel industry 1 in December 2009: the first step was to collect quantitative data on employment from steel companies. Ms Darge presented partial results of the compilation (in the form of graphs) representing the proportion of men and women in the sector; educational levels; age classification; and the number of recruitments per year for the period Refer to summary Training WG ( ) 1

2 Special attention was given to the breakdown of gender in the EU steel industry and also to the evolution of educational levels from 2005 to these had considerably increased; this was probably due to the fact that more people were getting a first degree diploma. A debate than took place: Mr Gibellieri reminded the participants about a law in Italy concluded in the 90's and based on the Directive of 1992 relative to people exposed to asbestos. For those workers exposed to asbestos for more than 10 years this law allowed them to take an early retirement. Therefore, in 2001, approximately 10,000 workers left the industry and were replaced by a younger generation of workers within the Taranto Steel site. Unfortunately, no time had been made available for a transfer of knowledge. In Romania, women were hired on a high level (Heads of Department, Commercial Departments). In ArcelorMittal Galati, women had recently been appointed as the manager of the main blast furnace. The participants agreed that this example was a positive step forward, notably including women in higher positions. In Ruukki (Finland), Ms Salovaara informed the Group that approximately 15% of women were working in the company. In Czech Republic, the steel industry had kept its negative dirty image for decades and students had not been attracted to work in the sector. Ms Neuhauser informed the participants that most women hired within Salzgitter were working in the administration and at low-level positions. In future, it might be interesting to launch a debate on gender equality within the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee on steel as equality between men and women was not yet effective in the sector. Also, the number of students was decreasing every year in technical schools. In Portugal, the impact of the economic crisis had severely affected the steel industry workforce, as well as in other sectors. Precarious work was on the raise and the number of temporary agency workers had increased since New types of agency work had been created to benefit from the situation, according to Mr Simoes. 2

3 In Poland, Mr Ditmer reported on a new project launched by the trade unions focussing on skills in the steel industry. The results of the study should be available by the end of the year. 4) ESTEP WG5 People activities Mr Martin Kunkel (German Steel Federation) reported on the last meeting of the WG5 (24 September 2010) which mainly focused on Research issues and on the new sub-group Safety in the EU steel industry. He reminded the Group that a Conference on Talent Management would be organised in Düsseldorf on 11 November 2010, aiming to provide an overview of innovative personnel policy in European steel companies with respect to Talent Management. The overall targets were to improve the image of the Steel Industry and to enhance the attractiveness of steel companies as future-oriented employers. See appended presentation. 3) Greening Technical VET - Sustainable Training Module for the European Steel Industry - presentation of Leonardo project Mr Gibellieri reported on the project submitted in February to the Leonardo Da Vinci programme and informed the participants about the positive evaluation and approval of the above-mentioned project by the Commission. It was agreed between partners of the project to formally start the project in January Please see attached the summary of the project. 4) Belgian Presidency conference and agenda on green skills (Sophie LeNoble) Ms Sophie Lenoble (Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment and Equal Opportunities, Ms Joelle Milquet), summarised briefly the Conference organised by the Belgian Presidency, supported by the Commission, on Green Jobs. On this occasion, Ms Joelle Milquet together with Mr Laszlo Andor (Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs) had launched a proposal for the first European plan to create jobs in Green sectors and for the Greening of the economy and the labour market. Green jobs would have an impact on labour markets and new jobs would be created; on the other hand, other jobs would disappear. Therefore, the EU needed to 3

4 have the capacity to anticipate these changes to prepare the labour markets for transition towards a green economy. The development of sectors with potential job creation would need to be ensured (e.g: renewable energy sector). The introduction of new materials and new and better technologies to increase energy efficiency were necessary. Good quality analysis and research were needed to monitor and report on employment impacts in Member States on EU level and would need to influence policies for sustainable job creation within economies. The summary of the Conference was available on the Belgian Presidency website. An EPSCO (Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council) meeting would take place in December 2010, aiming to adopt policy decisions that would provide a framework for creating green jobs. 5) Development of a European sectoral skills and jobs council : b) Proposed project (Phase 1) for the steel industry + c) Draft questionnaire Ms Darge provided information to the working group about the joint EMF- EUROFER project Towards a European steel council on jobs and skills? Identifying the actors (see attached summary of the project) submitted in August to the Social Dialogue budget heading. At this stage, the EU social partners had not been informed by the Commission whether the abovementioned project had been selected. The objective of Phase 1 was to identify the actors and existing councils on national level operating in the field of jobs and skills specifically for the steel sector. Mr Gibellieri presented the questionnaire drafted by the external consultant, Mr Tropeoli (ICSIM). Please see appended presentation. It was suggested that national social partners, members of both EMF and EUROFER, should draw up a joint report on the situation. However, some national members questioned this methodology and suggested that members should have the following choice: To send a joint report to the external consultant; or 4

5 To send their own feedback directly to their respective organisations (EMF-EUROFER) and the social partners would forward the information to ICSIM. Both Secretariats agreed to this proposal. 6) Commission view Manuel Hubert Mr Manuel Hubert (DG EMPL) gave an overview of the sectors currently involved in the same kind of project, namely the preparatory phase for the identification of existing national observatories for a given sector ( Phase 1 ): Commerce sector: the social partners should finalise Phase 1 by December 2010 and should implement the second phase. In the Textile and leather sector, a sector skills council should be set up in mid About 9 sectoral bodies on national level were involved in this project; it should be the first sector to implement phase 2 of the initiative. Automotive sector: a project proposal had been submitted in August, similar to the joint EMF-EUROFER project. Mr François Ziegler (DG EMPL) welcomed this joint initiative and supported the involvement of EU social partners from other sectors in EU sectoral skills council. He also drew attention to the fact that social partners should become more active in policy making through consultations, as stipulated in the new Staff Working Document on the functioning and potential of the Sectoral Social Dialogue 2. Conclusion: It was agreed by both EUROFER and EMF to circulate the invitation to the Conference on Talent Management in the EU steel industry that would take place in Düsseldorf in November among their members. The EMF and EUROFER Secretariats should organise a small steering meeting, in early 2011 with experts from both sides to have a discussion on the follow-up of the initiative on training strategies in the EU steel industry. 2 See DG EMPL website: 5

6 Concerning the project submitted to the EU sector skills council for the EU steel industry, both Secretariats should meet in the coming weeks to draft a joint cover letter to the questionnaire prepared by the external consultant, Mr Andrea Tropeoli. Both organisations should send the questionnaire to their respective members, requesting them to send their feedback no later than end-january The partial results would serve as a basis for the preparation of the second seminar, planned to take place on 18 th March In the coming weeks, the Commission would send an official letter to the EMF (legal applicant of the project) to inform them whether the project had been selected. 6