20 October 2022

Conference on “Social Dialogue and collective bargaining in the metal sector: present and future in Europe and Spain.”

On 20 October 2022, Ceemet participated in the conference on “Social Dialogue and collective bargaining in the metal sector: present and future in Europe and Spain.” Together with Isabelle Barthes, Deputy Secretary General of industriAll Europe, Delphine Rudelli, Director General of Ceemet, presented the European sectoral social dialogue in the MET industries. Since 2010, both organisations have dealt with a number of issues which are of importance for the MET industries. In their two working groups covering “Competitiveness & Employment” and “Education &Training”, national members discuss topics such as digitalisation and the world of work, the impact of the twin transition on employment and skills in the MET industries, but also how to tackle skills shortages. Today, European sectoral social dialogue is however facing some challenges linked to the transformation of the world of work, the twin transition and the lack of representation in some Member States. Capacity building is therefore a critical issue both Ceemet and industriAll Europe will have to look at in the coming years.

On 20 October 2022, Ceemet participated in the conference on “Social Dialogue and collective bargaining in the metal sector: present and future in Europe and Spain.” Together with Isabelle Barthes, Deputy Secretary General of industriAll Europe, Delphine Rudelli, Director General of Ceemet, presented the European sectoral social dialogue in the MET industries. Since 2010, both organisations have dealt with a number of issues which are of importance for the MET industries. In their two working groups covering “Competitiveness & Employment” and “Education &Training”, national members discuss topics such as digitalisation and the world of work, the impact of the twin transition on employment and skills in the MET industries, but also how to tackle skills shortages. Today, European sectoral social dialogue is however facing some challenges linked to the transformation of the world of work, the twin transition and the lack of representation in some Member States. Capacity building is therefore a critical issue both Ceemet and industriAll Europe will have to look at in the coming years.

In addition to those challenges, Ceemet President Rainer Ludwig mentioned a number other social and economic crises impacting social dialogue at national level: the conflict in Ukraine, the worsening of bottlenecks in supply chains and/or the skyrocketing energy prices. These lead to persistent supply problems and production interruptions. Social dialogue is therefore a key element to overcome these difficulties and to fight together for the good of industry.

In Germany, the example he presented, social dialogue is well structured at sectoral level. The negotiations of a new collective agreement are currently going on and for Rainer Ludwig it is important that trade unions and policymakers don’t turn a blind eye on the reality of the industry. “An order backlog that cannot be produced, with which the companies would make a loss on every product sold, is not the criteria for a good situation in the industry as a whole.”

Ceemet represents 200,000 member companies across Europe and promotes daily the interests of the MET industries vis-à-vis the EU stakeholders as regards issues related to employment and social affairs.