Description
The project addressed the challenges posed by an ageing workforce and a changing labor market, which necessitate the renewal of trade unions to attract and retain younger teachers. It aims to improve the social dialogue through a series of activities, including training, awareness-raising, and bilateral cooperation with Norwegian partner. The project builds on the experience of previous capacity-building initiatives and partnerships.
The project aimed at strengthening bipartite social dialogue and its effect at national level and to familiarize the players with legislation related with decent work and the impact it has on their work by acquisition of leadership, communication and digital skills. The project included capacity building of Joint Commissions for Social Dialogue (JCSD) and unions to address changes in employment and work within education at national and local level, and awareness-raising and information activities and development of digital communication tools dedicated to social partners to promote understanding of the benefits of implementing decent work conditions and social protection.
Summary of project results
The project focused on strengthening the social dialogue and its effects at the national level and familiarizing the main actors with the legislation related to decent work and the impact it has on their work, acquiring leadership, communication and digital skills.
For this reason the objectives were:
1. Strengthening the capacity of joint commissions for social dialogue and trade unions to address changes in employment and work in education at national and local levels, as well as in terms of social dialogue challenges;
2. Awareness rising and information activities and the development of digital communication tools dedicated to social partners to promote understanding of the benefits of implementing decent working conditions and social protection, with an emphasis on the renewal of union structures.
Considering the challenges ahead, including weak social dialogue in the education sector in Romania, decreasing of affiliation at unions, lack of young teachers who wish to become union members, increased privatization trends in and of education, labour market deregulation, and demographic trends, the project elaborated an "Action Plan for Implementation Decent Work Agenda" focus on trade union renewal and organizing, setting priorities for trade union renewal in the years ahead. The Action Plan calls for increased coordination between education trade unions member of FLSI to develop around four main areas of organizing the underrepresented (especially young teachers); organizing around ideas and campaigns; organizing around work, community, and society; and organizing around the profession. This Action Plan is the final document elaborated after the entire package of activities developed by project experts after systematizing the results of 16 workshops, 6 working meetings of the experts and consultations with the members of the Executive Board.
Trade unions in the education sector face an ageing membership and potential decline in affiliation among younger and underrepresented groups. There is a need increasing the activist base and members’ involvement in union structures and activities by a series of interactive training - workshops about Leadership and Communication. A innovative course was designed (20 h - using play role, games, video, interactive experiences) with themes such as - Communication - Active listening - Assertive communication - Non-violent or conflictual communication - Leadership styles - Guest & Host leadership - Negotiation - Intergenerational relationship. Two handbooks for trainers and trainees were elaborated and an innovative training method was transferred to the training team. A digital communication tools package was created to ensure fast and efficient communication with all affiliated members (the website and e-learning platform, FB, Instagram, YouTube channel with the purpose to attracts young people to trade union activism. A peer learning activity was organised in Oslo.
Through this project, the partners increased the understanding of main patterns of employment, including the emergence of precarious work amongst new and young teachers, their status and security, and promoted unions’ capacity to address these labour market and professional challenges through trade union renewal.
In this context, the target group focused on:
• 390 members of Joint Committees for SD in schools and 270 young leaders from county unions involved in the SD process at county level;
• 62 county unions will benefit by the Action Plan;
• 4.000 members of the JCSD in education sector who will benefit by the further implementation of the digital tools during this project.
Summary of bilateral results
The Norwegian partner LO Norway contributed with information about the structure of social dialogue in Norway. Experts provided presentations during the various activities (conferences, study visit ) and how to have an efficient dialogue using the win-win approach. The project promoter also highlighted that they learned how to work with young leaders, and how to involve more the young and women in decision- making processes inside their organization.