Social dialogue in Europe

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) have published a new report on social dialogue in local and regional government across the EU.

The report looks at how relations, discussions and negotiations between unions and employers at local government level vary within the 27 EU member states.
Some of the issues in the report include whether collective bargaining is applied at local government level and whether there is a Europe-wide definition of social dialogue.
According to the report, expenditure by local and regional government in the EU accounts for 15.5% of the member state’s GDP and 33.9% of total public sector expenditure.

The report states that social dialogue can help local and regional government meet challenges like improving services while striving for greater efficiencies.

“It can help to ensure that the provision of efficient, cost-effective public services of high quality goes hand-in-hand with good employment practices,” the report states.

The report will be available from the CEMR’s website soon.

Last Updated: 28. 7. 2009 9:49:43 By Katherine Hitchcock