EADS: new European agreement defining a framework for future transnational negotiations

Clearing by the EWC.  “To reinforce its integration and improve personnel representation, the EADS group must be able to define and implement transnational policies” reads the preamble of the pending agreement, to explain the reasons why it defines “the applicable procedure at European level for the negotiation of a transnational issue relating to the entire EADS group or one single of its division.” “EADS’ EWC has been discussing this project for a long time” a negotiator confided. Indeed, the agreement establishing the aeronautics group’s EWC, revised in 2008, contained a clause providing that the management and the EWC can “jointly decide to open a preliminary debate to prepare for negotiations on a transnational issue affecting the entire group prior to official negotiations with a special negotiating body.”  First, the discussion was organized among the EWC’s staff representatives.  “Some organizations, such as the IG-Metall, wanted the procedure to be included in the EWC’s rules but we fought, with the European Metalworkers’ Federation so bargaining would remain a union prerogative” the negotiator went on, acknowledging that “this clearing work allowed negotiations to be achieved in a single two-day meeting.”