Unions warn of strife over social policy

Date: 06/02/1997

By Mark Turner

WHEN Social Affairs Commis-sioner Pádraig Flynn flies to the Czech Republic this week, he could find himself caught in a whirlwind of intensifying controversy.

Czech trade unions, concerned at the lack of social dialogue in their country, warn that railway workers, health sector employees and even some sections of the army are on the brink of industrial action, adding to the teachers' strike already under way.

Flynn's meeting with Polish Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Jindrich Vodicka is likely to focus attention on the country's drive for EU membership and the sacrifices that involves.

Social policy is becoming one of the most sensitive aspects of the rush by the countries of central and eastern Europe (CEECs) to join the Union.

The ten applicant countries have all, to a greater or lesser degree, made progress towards market economics. But in the rush to attract new investment and improve productivity, growing numbers of people are warning that the social dimension of transition has been forgotten.

“Most governments in central and eastern Europe do not understand that this is a process for the whole of society,” said Peter Seideneck, of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), who argues that events in Bulgaria should serve as a stern warning to leaders who ignore their populations for too long.

“It is evident that progress to a free market can only be successful if social conditions are given full attention. Otherwise, people will reject it,” he added.

But in most CEECs, with the exception of Estonia and Hungary, public involvement in the march towards Union membership is minimal, with the social partners - employers and unions - notably absent from the debate.

Zdenek Malek, the vice-president of the Czech-Moravian Chamber of Trade Unions, bemoans his government's lack of sensitivity towards employees' concerns.

“We are trying to persuade the competent people that the social dialogue is part of the process of accession,” he said, adding: “The government should address European integration in all its aspects.”

But unless the West makes it clear that European integration is about more than increasing trade, the CEECs may feel that liberalising markets and privatising industry is the whole battle.

As a result, social policy is running a severe risk of being subjugated to the free market agenda, warn the unions.

The impression given by CEEC governments that EU laws are the end of the story in social policy is also causing concern.

Union social legislation - whether on health and safety or working hours - was only ever designed to supplement national systems, and by no means encompasses the entire Euro-pean welfare state.

This was never as much of an issue during previous enlargements. Austria, Finland and Sweden, for example, had perfectly adequate social security systems already in place.

But central and eastern Europe is, in many ways, starting from scratch. Although the approach taken by individual governments varies widely - the Czechs have pursued social security privatisation faster than most of the EU - all share the need for considerably more work before they reach western standards.

This is recognised by the European Commission, but there is little that it can do. It cannot be seen to interfere in areas which remain the province of national governments, even though it is the body best placed to offer advice.

Flynn's visit will therefore only focus on “how the Czechs are getting on with bringing social policy up to the Community acquis”, according to his spokeswoman. “Our concern is that the candidate countries come up to minimum standards,” she added.

But unless someone takes the bull by the horns and explains exactly what is required from the applicants, warn the unions, the debate on social policy and enlargement may begin too late.

“If not enough action is taken now, this area could translate into negative feeling for the EU,” said Seideneck.

“We do not understand why the Dutch or the Irish presidency did not put this specifically on the agenda. We criticise the fact that this has not been flagged up enough.”

Unfortunately, recent revelations that existing Union member states Belgium, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain still have a long way to go before they reach the EU acquis themselves does not help the Union's case.

A Commission survey showed that only Finland, a new member state, had transposed all EU social policy legislation into national law and Spain had transposed less than three-quarters, leading to warnings of infringement proceedings from Flynn.

Nevertheless, Malek believes that Flynn's visit is a welcome sign from Brussels.

“I would like his visit to concentrate minds a bit on the social aspect of association.

A united Europe should be achieved without social dislocation. It would be our wish and dream for Flynn to say something clear about these issues,” he explained.

But the sensitivity of the debate makes any harsh words from Flynn unlikely. Social policy is just part of a much wider political game being played before enlargement, and neither national leaders nor Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek would welcome misplaced comments.

Malek may well have to go on dreaming for some time to come.