The role of social dialogue and civil dialogue for the completion of democratic transition and the s

1
The role of social dialogue and civil dialogue
for the completion of democratic transition and
the success of the EU pre-accession process

• The Croatian Experience
• Marina Kasunic Peris (UATUC)
• Sofia, 25-26 June 2007

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Structure of the Presentation

• Where we were?
• Where are we now?
• Where are we going to?

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Where we were?

• Since 1990 - major political, economic and social
  changes and reforms
• Political ?pluralistic democracy
• Economic ? transition from planned to a market
  economy
• Social ? Significant changes in industrial
  relations

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Consequences

• Privatization and restructuring of large
  enterprises
• Deindustrialization and the shift to employment
  in the service sector
• The increasing number of small-size enterprises
  and foreign-owned firms
• Expanding use of fixed-term labor contracts
• The labor market situation resulted in high
  unemployment, underemployment and undeclared work

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The Way Out

• Social Dialogue 2001 Agreement on
  Establishment of Economic and Social Council
• ESC - Central authority for accomplishing the
  social dialogue and partnership in Croatia, and
  simultaneously the advisory authority of the
  Croatian Government
• Based on the idea of a trilateral co-operation of
  the Croatian Government, trade union associations
  and employers associations in resolving economic
  and social issues and problems

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Economic and Social Council - Commissions

• Commission for Salary Policy and the Tax System
  and National Budget,
• Commission for Social Policy,
• Commission for Employment, Education and
  Coordination with the Labour Market,
• Commission for Collective Bargaining,
• Commission for Economic Development and
  Privatization,
• Commission for Legislation, Regulations
  Implementation and the Accomplishment of Legal
  Protection,
• Commission for International Relations and the
  Preparation for Accession of Croatia to the EU,
  and the
• Commission for Alternative Resolutions of Labour
  Disputes

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Administrative Councils of certain funds and
other institutions

• Croatian Pension Insurance Administration,
• Croatian Employment Service,
• Croatian Institute for Health Insurance,
• Council for Media, Vocational Training Council,
• Advisory Council of the Fund for Development and
  Employment,
• The Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and
  Employment of People with Disabilities, and the
  Commission for Adult Education

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Parliamentary Committees

• Committee for Labour, Social Welfare and Health
  Care,
• Committee on Finance and Budget,
• Committee on the Economy and Development, and the
  
• Committee on Legislation

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At the enterprise level
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The role of Social Partners

• EU - the social partners to play an extremely
  important and extensive role
• Their influence on the substantive negotiation
  issues has been minimal
• EU social partners have decision-making role, in
  Croatia they still have consultative role
• Results of tripartite meetings do not have
  clearly outlined legal status, but rather
  function on the basis of agreements
• The organizational weakness of social partners -
  problem for the establishment of a meaningful and
  proper social dialogue

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The role of social partners in accession process

• National Committee for Monitoring Accession
  Negotiations with the EU
• Working groups for negotiations by chapters
• Joint Consultative Council is established in 2006
  

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Following steps

• To strengthen social partners human and
  financial capacities in order to prepare
  themselves for the EU social dialogue
• To be more active in shaping policies
• To be more involved in decision-making process
• To meaningfully utilize the social dialogue
  framework in order to achieve social justice,
  political stability competitiveness of these
  economies, stabile labour market, full employment
  and social inclusion
• strengthening the autonomous bipartite dialogue,
• The Government should ensure the active
  participation of the social partners in the
  implementation of the acquis in the social field
  

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Success

• Means building and using the structures for
  social dialogue which will be based on trust and
  co-operation among social partners
• This kind of social dialogue will ensure
  effective transposition and implementation of the
  Community's social acquis and facilitate Croatian
  accession to EU

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• Thank you for your attention!
• Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia
• Marina Kasunic Peris
• e-mail marina.k.peris_at_sssh.hr