On 24 November 2022, Ceemet and industriAll Europe held the sectoral Social Dialogue Plenary meeting of the MET industries. At the meeting, participants discussed the multiple crises affecting the MET industries such as the war in Ukraine, the increasing energy prices, the consequences of COVID-19 and the supply chain problems. Social partners endeavour to implement measures to mitigate these multiple crises by new collective agreements, the introduction of short-time work schemes etc.
This Plenary meeting was also the opportunity to exchange on tight labour markets and skills shortages. Indeed, social Partners need to find solutions to address labour shortages and skills shortages that are persistently hindering the competitiveness of companies. Investing in the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce in the MET industries is key to ensure that critical sectors for the European economy, such as the automotive industry, succeed in their digital transformation and thus in their green transformation. Employers will continue to put in place communication campaigns in order to attract young people to MET companies.
The Plenary was also the occasion to come back on the social dialogue activities carried out through 2022 and to adopt the Work Programmes for 2023. Next year, the social partners will focus their work in the “Competitiveness and Employment” working group on the Just transition and the “Education and Training” working group will organise some joint events in the framework of the European Year of Skills. They will also follow up on joint initiatives at the EU level regarding the Mobility ecosystem, Coalition for a Just Transition for the automotive sector, Pact for skills, etc.