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IPA responds to the EU 2020 strategy
This month the IPA submitted its response to the consultation on the EU 2020 strategy, the successor to the Lisbon strategy. The document suggests a focus on jobs, innovation and increased productivity as a way for Europe to grow its way out of recession. But the IPA raised concerns about the absence of the workplace in this picture.
The Lisbon strategy has largely been seen as a failure. At a recent conference in London, EU competition commissioner Joaquín Almunia admitted that there had been no mechanism in place to ensure that lofty ideals were delivered on the ground. The IPA commented in the response that commitments to increased productivity, better jobs, and improved innovation were unlikely to occur without policy measures directed at the workplace.
The IPA suggested four ways in which the EU 2020 strategy could improve in this regard: Give greater consideration to the workplace and workplace level policy; use the European Commission as a means of knowledge transfer, spreading best workplace practice between members states; use EU funding to incentivise and support member states to develop long-term workplace innovation schemes; use the European Commission as a cultural leader in good work and employee engagement. The Commission could use its role as employer and policy maker to help bring attention to these concepts.
You can read the full IPA response to the EU 2020 strategy
here.
Britain faces significant underemployment, high levels of inactivity and a creeping rise in long-term unemployment according to labour market figures released by the ONS this month.
Although UK unemployment is somewhat lower than expected, the latest figures suggest that many people are underemployed; taking part-time work when they would prefer to be in full-time work. In the three months to December there were 1.04 million employees and self-employed people working part-time because they could not find full-time work.
The TUC expressed concern that the unemployment figures were encouraging an overly optimistic view of the labour market. Brendan Barber said:
‘a closer look suggests that thousands of people are taking part-time or temporary jobs because they cannot secure full-time positions. A growth in insecure and low-paid employment at the expense of secure work is not good news for them or for the economy.'
Other findings:
· The number of people unemployed for more than 12 months reached 663, 000 , up 37, 000 on the last quarter
· The rate of economic inactivity among the working age population has reached 21.3 per cent, up 0.2 per cent on the last quarter. This particularly high rate can be explained by the large number of people remaining in education rather than entering the labour market.
Government consulted businesses, trade unions and academics on the introduction of the revised European Works Council directive to UK law this month. The government advocated a liberal approach in order to minimise the impact on business.
The key changes centred on the definitions of information and consultation, the provision of feedback and the relationship between national and transnational information and consultation forums.
The IPA response welcomed the initiative to improve the EWC legislation, and in particular the emphasis on training for representatives and feed back to employees. However, the IPA warned against abandoning the definitions of information and consultation agreed by the European social partners. Greater definition could help provide much needed clarity to managers and representatives.
The government will publish its response to the consultation on the website
www.bis.gov.uk
A new list of organisations qualified to undertake and scrutinise statutory ballots and elections under trade union law was announced by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills this month.
Following a public competition, 6 organisations were recognised as scrutineers for workplace and trade union ballots and elections. The IPA retained its position on the approved list, which comes into force in April 2010.
IPA Business Development Manager, Sarah Dawson, said: ‘We’re pleased to be able to continue to offer our members and clients an election and balloting service.’
For more information on the IPA's election and balloting services contact Sarah Dawson on
sarah.dawson@ipa-involve.com
