Description
Project goal was to improve social dialogue and cooperation among local, regional and national levels by providing experience exchange and training to education trade unionists, public authorities and employers. The project "Improving social dialogue in education - experience of Norway and Latvia" aimed to enhance collaboration and cooperation among education trade unions, public authorities, and employers at local, regional, and national levels.
Key activities included an experience exchange visit to the Union of Education in Norway, the design and implementation of an e-learning platform, and the organization of four regional social dialogue forums across Latvia. These forums facilitated consultations among local governments, school directors, and teachers, promoting a collaborative approach to addressing educational issues. The project culminated in a final conference in Riga, where stakeholders discussed the outcomes and shared best practices.
The project provided training to over 1000 social partners, significantly enhancing their capacity to engage in social dialogue. This training improved the participants'' ability to partake in bipartite and tripartite dialogues, involving local governments, schools, and other educational institutions.
Project activity list includes: Visit to Education Trade Union in Norway, organization of regional social dialogue forums, and project final conference.
Summary of project results
Primarily, the project sought to enhance the collaboration and cooperation among education trade unions, public authorities, and employers at various levels. The education sector in Latvia faced issues related to social and economic changes, heavily influenced by political decisions affecting working conditions. There was a need for improved social dialogue structures and cooperation methods to ensure better representation and protection of the rights of education employees. Additionally, local authorities and organizations often lacked experience or good examples of effective social dialogue, which the project aimed to rectify.
The project implemented a series of activities designed to foster better communication and cooperation among stakeholders. Key activities included an experience exchange visit to the Union of Education in Norway, which provided valuable insights into effective social dialogue practices. The project also developed and implemented an e-learning platform to facilitate ongoing education and information sharing among trade unionists and social partners. Furthermore, four regional social dialogue forums were organized across Latvia, bringing together local governments, school directors, and teachers to discuss and develop sample documents for collective bargaining and cooperation agreements. The project concluded with a final conference in Riga, where stakeholders reviewed the outcomes and shared best practices.
The project achieved significant results, benefiting a wide range of stakeholders. Over 1000 social partners were trained, exceeding the original target and enhancing their capacity to engage in social dialogue. This training improved the ability of participants to partake in bipartite and tripartite dialogues, involving local governments, schools, and other educational institutions. The introduction of the e-learning platform provided a sustainable tool for continuous learning and information sharing. The development and dissemination of sample documents for collective bargaining and cooperation agreements further strengthened the quality of social dialogue. Overall, the project fostered a more collaborative and cooperative environment in the education sector, benefiting trade unionists, public authorities, and employers alike.
Summary of bilateral results
The Norwegian partner withdrew from the project due to organisational changes.