“Promoting social dialogue” EuropeAid/CH2008-AUC-1801681243

Project Starting Date: 1 October 2014

Project End Date: 30 March 2017

Project Budget: € 1.371.071,00

Contractor: International Labour Organisation

Overall objective:

The project aimed to assist the country in strengthening tripartite and bipartite social dialogue through institutional and legislative improvement along with activities aimed at strengthening the capacities of government, employers’ organizations and trade unions to engage effectively in social dialogue.

Specific Objectives:

The problem of social dialogue had addressed from three levels and the project aimed to achieve the following specific objectives:

  1. Enhanced institutional capacity of stakeholders in charge of tripartite and bipartite social dialogue in terms of sustainability, efficiency and functionality in order to ensure a comprehensive participation of all the relevant stakeholders, especially of the social partners, in the creation, development and implementation of economic and social policies;
  2. Strengthened social partnership on the industry/branch/company level including a coordinated and effective machinery for collective bargaining;
  3. Establish an operational mechanism of amicable settlement of labour disputes and trained specialized conciliators and arbitrators for labour disputes.

Description of the Project

The strategy to be applied takeed a comprehensive and holistic approach and aimed to provide technical support to both institutions and participants in social dialogue processes, including collective bargaining  at  national, branch, local levels.

The project consisted of three interlinked components, designed to address challenges the national tripartite actors are currently facing in a coherent and complementary manner. The three components were:

Component 2: Encouraging collective bargaining and setting sectoral collective bargaining infrastructures

Component 3:Establishing an operational amicable settlement of labour disputes

The project aimed to extend and enhance tripartite and bipartite social dialogue as a means to achieve economic growth and social progress in the country.

The target groups of the project were the members of the National Economic and Social Council and its Secretariat, and the Department for legal issues and social dialogue of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the mediators and conciliators and the local authorities of the local Economic and Social Councils, State Labour Inspectorate and judges and labour lawyers. Specific attention was given to employers’ and workers’ organisation. The project involved the following social partner organisations:

  • Organization of Employers of Macedonia
  • Business Confederation of Macedonia
  • Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia
  • Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Macedonia
  • Union of Independent and Autonomous Trade Unions of Macedonia

Project activities

Component 1. Enhanced tripartite and bipartite social dialogue

  • A Tripartite Action Plan on Social Dialogue drafted and endorsed;
  • Drafted and adopted Annual Operational programmes for the NESC for 2015 and 2016;
  • Rules of Procedure of the NESC and its Secretariat drafted and endorsed;
  • Eight planned topics for the thematic trainings for the members of the national and the local ESCs proposed and endorsed;
  • All LESCs fully equipped with furniture, computers and library;
  • Tracking mechanism for the monitoring of recommendations developed and validated;
  • Website for the NESC developed in both Macedonian and English (www.ess.mk);
  • Promotional materials for the NESC printed (brochures, folders, notebooks, pens, USB-sticks, as well as wall and entrance branding).

Component 2. Encouraging collective bargaining and setting sectoral collective bargaining    infrastructures

  • A gap analysis of the existing regulatory and institutional frameworks on collective bargaining carried out;
  • National Regulatory Framework on Collective Bargaining drafted both Macedonian and English languages;
  • A tripartite Action Plan on Collective Bargaining, including gender related measures, developed and endorsed;
  • Six sectors of interest selected by the Social Partners and endorsed by the Project Steering Committee;
  • Strategic plans to both EOs, Organization of Employers of Macedonia and Business Confederation of Macedonia, developed and endorsed;
  • Marketing and communication plans for the Organizations of Employers drafted and being implemented;
  • Websites of ORM and BKM designed and implemented;
  • Promotional materials for the EOs designed and produced;
  • Marketing and communication plan for the Trade Unions drafted and being implemented;
  • Website of SSM designed and implemented;
  • Websites of UNASM and KSS in process of design and implementation;
  • A common website on workers’ rights developed and implemented;
  • Database on social partners’ membership and collective agreements developed and installed;

Component 3. Establishing an operational mechanism for amicable settlement of labour disputes

  • A curriculum for training programme for conciliators and arbitrators developed and endorsed by MLSP;
  • Training programme validated through a pilot training of trainers for conciliators and arbitrators;
  • Tripartite Licencing Commission, under the NESC, established and trained;

Expected results

 1.1 Tripartite Action Plan for enhancing capacity of the National and Local Economic and Social Councils implemented

1.2 Six (6) new local ESCs established

1.3 Monitoring mechanism of recommendations of the ESC

1.4 Improved visibility of the ESCs

2.1 A tripartite action plan on strengthening collective bargaining

2.2 A training programme for workers and employers

2.3 Employers’ and workers’ organizations apply new tools and services to reach out to members

2.4 Recommendations on ensuring full compliance of existing law and practice with fundamental principles and rights at work as reflected in ILS

2.5 Database on social partners’ membership and collective bargaining

3.1 A training program for conciliators/arbiters is in place

3.2 A roster of specialized conciliators/arbiters is created

3.3 A case management system is created and in use

3.4 Awareness campaign targeting social partners and general public’s on the advantages of amicable settlement of labour disputes is carried out

Links:

http://promotingsocialdialogue.mk/

http://rabotnickiprava.mk

 

Activity 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 Assessment of the functioning of the Tripartite Social Dialogue MK

Activity 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 Assessment of the Functioning of the Tripartite Social Dialogue ENG

Activity 1.1.1 National Tripartite Social Dialogue MK

Activity 2.2.2 Social Dialogue Manual for Trade Union Education MK

Activity 2.3.3 On Enabling Business Environment for Sustainable Enterprises in Macedonia MK

Activity 2.3.3 On Enabling Business Environment for Sustainable Enterprises in Macedonia EN

Activity 3.1.2 Labour Dispute Systems MK

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