Towards a Fund for Social Dialogue

The Norway Grants 2009-14 will launch a new fund for promoting decent work and tripartite dialogue. The Norwegian Institute for Labour and Social Research (FAFO) has conducted a study to assess which criteria such a fund should be based upon.

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In the study, which was commissioned by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), the Norwegian Confederation of Unions for Professionals (UNIO) and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), FAFO researchers Inger Marie Hagen and Odd Bjørn Ure suggest a number of priorities which will enhance the Fund’s possibilities of achieving long-term effects on the labour markets and tripartite dialogue in the beneficiary states.

The seven suggested priorities are:

  • To enhance national labour markets by focusing upon particular sectors;
  • To counter negative effects of outward labour migration by developing robust regional labour markets;
  • To better understand how national and international crisis packages influence public services and work places;
  • To more efficiently apply rules and regulations concerning health, safety and environment (occupational safety and health);
  • To stimulate increased social dialogue locally;
  • To establish national joint initiatives directed by central level social partners;
  • To establish a Forum for exchanging experience and know-how.

One percent of the allocation to each beneficiary state, or €8 million in total, shall be set aside to the new Fund for promoting decent work and tripartite cooperation under the Norway Grants 2009-14.

Read the study (in Norwegian).

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