EU: the social partners could negotiate the future framework for socially responsible restructurings

Watch the schedule.  “Restructuring is at the heart of industrial relations at enterprise level. European social partners have worked intensively on this complex issue over the last ten years. Looking forward, we will also have a key role to play with respect to the Commission’s idea of establishing a European framework for restructuring.”  This is how the three leaders of the three European employers’ organizations – BusinessEurope, CEEP (public ownership companies) and UEAPME – spoke in a letter to President Barroso on May 5th.  Concerned with ensuring that this initiative – implying that they want to take it over – does not damage other ongoing projects, particularly the review of the working time directive, which could be subject to debate, the three European organizations are asking the Commission to pay special attention to the schedule.  The message is to avoid “launching a restructuring consultation just before the start of or during negotiations on working time,” which could “impact negatively on the chances of success of both initiatives” the letter reads.  After working time, the European social partners could move on to negotiations on a framework for the anticipation of change and restructurings.  The signatories of the letter also point out that they believe that “It is of utmost importance to have a balanced consultation paper in line with the approach of the flagship initiative on an “industrial policy for the globalization era” presented last October by Antonio Tajani, Commissioner in charge of Industry and Entrepreneurship (see our dispatch No.  110770).