The involved employers’ organizations, their branch associations in the building and construction industry, their member companies, and their trade union partners will increase their expertise and hands-on knowledge in this field with the exchange of experience and know-how by being involved in workshops, meetings, a study tour, national activities, a jointly drafted publication, the conference and other activities. The project “Restructuring in the Building Industry” is aiming to:

• promote the development of industrial relations in the building sector in CEE countries on national, regional and company level by improving expertise and knowledge on industrial relations and restructuring (capacity building),
• master change and restructuring during the economic crisis,
• establish a network of key actors in industrial relation in the building industry.

The involved social partners will be able to better manage the consequences and effects of the economic crisis in their sector (restructuring) and build a perspective for the future and thus safeguard existing jobs and foster the creation of new, green jobs. As a result of the project, we expect better involvement of social partners in the discussion and the preparation of measures to respond to the economic crisis (which is currently low in CEE countries). The project partnership will lead to a strong network of key actors in the building sector. The project’s expected deliverables are:

• a publication on industrial relations in the construction sector in all languages of the CEE partner countries (Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Slovene),
• websites on restructuring and industrial relations in the CEE countries (organized by BIA/BCC, HUP/UPG, ZDS/CCBMI and CERM on their web sites),
• national workshops on restructuring in Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria and FYR Macedonia,
• a study tour visiting companies in the building sector in Germany (best practice examples).

The partners involved in the project:

• Bulgarian Industrial Association and Bulgarian Construction Chamber – BIA/BCC
• Confederation of Employers of Republic of Macedonia - CERM
• Croatian Employers' Association / Construction Employers' Association – HUP/UPGa
• CCIS-Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry of Slovenia - CCIS-CCBMI of Slovenia
• Federation of German Industries - BDI

Supporting partners of the project:

• Federation “Construction, Industry and Water Supply” – PODKREPA
• Trade Union of Construction Industry Workers of Slovenia – SDGD
• Union of Independent Autonomous Trade Unions of Macedonia – UIATUM
• Trade Union of Construction of Croatia – SGH

Supporting European Social Partner Organizations:

• European Construction Industry Federation – FIEC
• The Confederation of European Business – BUSINESSEUROPE

More information:

Maja Skorupan, project manager at the ZDS: maja.skorupan@zds.si.

The project has received funding from the European Commission.