In the framework of the project WIM ("Workers’ involvement for better and sustainable management in undertakings") partners from the employers’ organizations and trade unions from Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Austria met at the kick-off meeting on 5 February 2013, in Ljubljana.
The purpose of the meeting was to present each partner’s organization and the current situation and legislation in the field of employee involvement in management in each country, review the project activities, prepare the questionnaire to conduct a survey on employee involvement in the countries participating in the project, as well as to discuss organizational, financial and administrative matters.
From the project partners’ (employers' associations and trade unions) presentations, it appears that the scope of employee participation in management is differently regulated in each country. While in Montenegro bipartite social dialogue at company level is well organized, there is no clear demarcation between the trade unions and works councils in Serbia and Macedonia. In Serbia, for example, specific legislation on works councils does not exist (works councils are allowed, definition and responsibilities are regulated by the law on trade unions), in Macedonia the role of employee involvement is not clearly written. Specialty in Montenegro is also the collective agreement, which is common for the public and private sector. Austria has different problems. As employees are strongly involved in the decision-making process it should be reconsidered, especially in the time of financial and economic crisis,, how to protect companies' interests and remain competitive in the global market.
Based on the above mentioned findings, the partners prepared a draft questionnaire for online survey which will be finalized through electronic consultations between the partners’ organizations.
Project Manager Anže Hiršl explained the main aim of the survey is to obtain relevant information on current situation in the field of employee involvement in companies’ decision making process and social dialogue. The survey will focus on gathering basic information, such as existence of legal instruments, state/level of employee involvement in companies, awareness and attitude of employers and similar questions, in order to define the level of development of employee involvement in each candidate country. The survey questionnaire will be prepared in English by ZDS in close cooperation with all partners, taking into consideration the burning issues on the topic, according to the national project partners’ understanding. BCM, UPCG and UPS will translate the questionnaire in national languages. BCM, UPCG and UPS will promote the survey among member companies by direct e-mail invitations, website links, newsletters, etc. ZDS will organise the data analysis and prepare survey report. The results and analysis will be discussed at the interim meeting in May, where further customized steps will be designed accordingly.
The kick-off meeting was organised in the framework of the project »Workers’ involvement for better and sustainable management in undertakings in Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia (WIM)«, which is co-funded by the European Commission.