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“Improving trade union coordination of European Works Councils” was title of a training seminar organised in Vienna, Austria, by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) and UNI Europa. From 1 to 3 February 2012, 24 EWC coordinators from ten countries exchanged their experiences from the Graphical, Finance, Commerce, Property Services, Temporary agency work, ICTS and Post&Logistics sectors. Participants agreed that this seminar should be followed up by regular meetings once or even twice a year in order to create a permanent exchange platform for EWC coordinators. Being a neutral but “visible” coach and mediator who brings a European perspective to a EWC was identified as one of the most important coordinators’ tasks, as well as linking up the EWC to UNI Europa and its affiliates. Participants further stated that national trade unions will have to focus more on international work, considering that companies and governments act more and more on an international level.

The international secretaries of the two major Austrian UNI Europa affiliates, Wolfgang Greif of GPA-djp and Eva Müller of vida, welcomed participants to Vienna and underlined the need for international trade union coordination. Regional Secretary Oliver Röthig explained UNI Europa’s policy on European works councils and multinational companies, focusing on the need to establish sustainable trade union alliances within multinational companies. He stressed that EWC coordinators play a key role in trade union work on multinational companies.

Prof. Jeremy Waddington from the University of Manchester presented first findings from his survey on the work and challenges of UNI Europa’s EWC coordinators. They suggest a clear need for more training and time resources in order for EWC coordinators to fulfil their mandate. They also show that the presence of a trade union coordinator significantly improves a EWC’s performance.

On the basis of UNI Europa’s Guidelines on EWCs, participants discussed the role of coordinators and the need for a good link to UNI Europa as the European trade union federation but also to the national trade unions that organize in the same company. Participants who have been coordinating EWCs for many years shared their experience and knowledge with newly nominated coordinators, who in turn brought fresh ideas on how to improve coordination work. A mentoring system for new coordinators was one of the ideas from this seminar.

Trainers Jean-Claude Le Douaron and Marika Varga of ETUI provided a wide and innovative variety of training materials and supported the participants in finding new solutions to the problems they encounter in their work. UNI Europa will continue to facilitate and develop this network that has successfully been established in Vienna.

The seminar has been organised with the financial support of the European Commission.