Description
The project aims to exchange innovative practices and instruments for strengthening of social partners’ dialogue at national and sectorial level, and to introduce the decent work agenda in Bulgaria and Norway. Expected achievements of theproject are: improved social dialogue and tripartite dialogue structures and practices, achieved through the exchange of four good practice examples within the areas of communication, negotiation, decision making process and practice. The project will also lead to the establishment of a Upgraded Work Conditions’ Committees’ and Groups’ platform and an e-forum on decent work topics; increased awareness and capacity among 120 representatives of social partners in Norway and Bulgaria who will discuss decent work; and raised awareness of the importance of cooperation on decent work among 300 representatives of the key actors in the social and tripartite dialogue; as well as a general broader understanding of social dialogue within the society. The Norwegian partners, Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), will contribute with human and organizational expertise and experience.
Summary of project results
The project contributed to activation and strengthening of the social dialogue in nine sectors towards the introduction of different aspects of the decent work agenda in Bulgaria and Norway. The achievements of the project include: (1) Improved social dialogue and tripartite dialogue structures and practices by exchanged good practice examples introduced within communication, negotiation, decision making process and practice of the pilot branches. (2) Exchanged innovative practices to strengthen dialogue between the social partners at national and sectoral level, and introduced the concept of decent work between both countries. (3) Studied experience and examples of 'good practice' of social and tripartite dialogue in the various dimensions of decent work (negotiation, payment, security, working conditions, etc.) in Norway and Bulgaria, part of which are included in the 'Decent work and dialogue' brochure, distributed among all organisations of the social partners in Bulgaria. (4) Upgraded site of 2008/108471 project 'Health, safety and environment in the work place' by creating 7 new topics and working electronic forum 'Decent Work' used by all 9 sectors/branches; (5) Developed innovative tools and mechanisms for strengthening of the social partnership on issues concerning policy of decent work at national, sectoral and company level illustrated by bilingual Information Bulletin; (6) Increased administrative capacity of the structures of Bulgarian employers' associations and trade unions at national and sectoral levels in order to provide effective participation in tripartite consultations on policy decent work; (7) Increased awareness of over 700 social partners’ representatives during the Information campaign and International conferences. Developed, presented and discussed the concept of a Labour Court. Its establishment became part of a communication of the national representative organizations of employers and employees to the 43rd National Assembly and the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria.
Summary of bilateral results
All project partner organisations nationally representative in Norway and Bulgaria participated activelly in: all project activities. The project is a good example for cooperation among the trade unions and employers organizations, both in Bulgaria and in Norway. The successful partnership led to an increased awareness of the importance of cooperation on decent work among the key actors in the social and tripartite dialogue and broader understanding within the society. The partnership has benefited from an exchange of innovative practices and instruments for strengthening of the social partners’ dialogue at national and sectorial level, and for the introduction of a decent work agenda, both in Bulgaria and in Norway.