The European Commission last week adopted a consultation document on the rights of employees to be informed and consulted about changes in the workplace, according to the EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Padraig Flynn. He told managers at the conference that the document "confirmed our view that a Community initiative is necessary. This would be a framework measure which sets minimum requirements for informing and consulting your employees".
He stressed that the EU Green Paper on partnership and work - presently being considered by the social partners in memberstates - has "no hidden legislative agenda". The Commission did, however, intend fulfilling its commitments under the 1995 mediumterm social action programme.
He hoped the minimum requirements for consultation would be agreed between the social partners. "We are taking this initiative because proper information and consultation is an essential tool in introducing a positive attitude to change and facilitating flexibility and adaptability," he said.
"Some will say that they are already doing this at company level. If so, I can assure you that the EU measure will leave a lot of room for individual companies to determine how the objective of information and consultation is met. But as there is no framework to guarantee that this is done, we must have this initiative at EU level."
The Commission had invited the social partners and public authorities to take part in moves to develop an EU-wide framework "for a new organisation of work", he said.
This discussion was already developing in Ireland. A recent seminar showed that broad agreement at national level was only the start of the process. "After that, you move on to translating this into action at the grass roots level. This comes when firms themselves involve individual managers and staff - as well as their representative bodies - in looking at the detail of the speed of change in each sector, company or organisation."
New employment guidelines published by the Commission last month will be discussed at the special Jobs Summit which will be held in two weeks time, Mr Flynn continued.
They focus on four particular areas for action: entrepreneurship, employability, equal opportunities and adaptability.
"We hope to receive all comments on the Green Paper and its proposals by the end of the month. I look forward to hearing your response.
"I especially want to know your views on partnership, on how we can develop it and how it can be used as a framework for new forms of work organisation. The idea of partnership is more strongly developed here in Ireland than in most other member-states and this gives you a unique standpoint.
"In the spring of next year there will be a final conference on the Green Paper. Then the results of all this consultation and discussion will be pulled together."