Bastun - Baltic Sea Trade Union Network

 
Setting the political agenda for sustainable labour markets in the Baltic Sea region
The Steering Committee of the Baltic Sea Labour Network (BSLN) project, a highlevel tripartite body for strategic and political decision-making, has started an active process to set a political agenda for sustainable labour markets during the project’s lifetime.

The BSLN project is a consolidated attempt at increasing the mutual understanding and co-operation of labour market partners in the Baltic Sea region. As a flagship project in the action plan of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy, the BSLN joins many others with its mission of turning the Baltic Sea region into a successful and sustainable labour market.

The Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of employer organisations, trade unions, parliaments and governmental organisations, has agreed upon the overarching thematic priorities of the agenda: the BSLN looks for solutions to the consequences of the economic crisis and mobility of labour in the Baltic Sea labour markets by using social dialogue and active labour market policies. The work includes transnational and national networking, promotion of social dialogue, and joint activities, workshops and research.

First of all, we want to develop social dialogue in the Baltic Sea region. The basic principle is that the social partners are the best experts on the conditions of the labour markets. The economic decline necessitates a strengthened social dialogue in the Baltic Sea region. Both employers’ organisations and trade unions have a shared interest in sustainable economic growth and prosperity, even though their points of view may differ from time to time.

We believe that it is useful to create joint labour market solutions and strategies and deepen the co-operation between the social partners of the region. Therefore, we aim at developing a permanent transnational cooperation forum for the social partners and politicians in the Baltic Sea region. The Steering Committee will be the platform for the development of this Forum.

We believe that the social dialogue on the grass root and national levels leads to sustainability in the workplace and in labour markets as a whole. Therefore, we need to find out what kind of measures can be taken to safeguard the representative role and bargaining power of the social partners by increasing the organisation density of employer organisations and trade unions, especially in the Baltic States and Poland.

The second priority of the BSLN political agenda is to promote the development of sustainable economic conditions for the region. We believe that fair economic competition is a precondition for successful and sustainable business. Therefore, we have decided to focus on finding ways to ensure the responsibility and competitiveness of enterprises in Baltic Sea region.

Economy based on unfair competition or poor working conditions is not acceptable in the Baltic Sea region. Responsible entrepreneurs will suffer if ground rules are not respected. Society will suffer if revenues and general respect of the law decline. The employees will suffer if terms and conditions of work deteriorate.

The third priority of the agenda maintains that mobility of labour in the Baltic Sea region is beneficial for both employers and employees. Fair economic competition and just treatment of employees should be preconditions for mobility of labour. It is important to avoid negative consequences such as brain drain or social dumping, which may deplete labour markets and make them vulnerable in terms of skills and size of the workforce.

The basis for fair and inclusive labour markets in the Baltic Sea region is very simple: to make sure that norms, responsibilities, conditions, rules and labour relations in each respective country are the same for foreign and domestic business and employees.

We would like to invite all interested parties to take part in our work for sustainable labour markets in the Baltic Sea region.

On behalf of the Baltic Sea Labour Network,

Andrzej Adamczyk, International Secretary of Solidarnosc, Poland, Vice president of Pan European Regional Council (PERC)
Elīna Egle, General Director, Employers' Confederation of Latvia (LDDK)
Dr. Thomas Klischan, Director of Nordmetall Verband der Metall- und Elektroindustrie e.V.
Dr. Gabriele Kötschau, Director General, Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Secretariat
Wanja Lundby-Wedin, President of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Uwe Polkaehn, President of the German Confederation of Trade Unions, Northern Germany (DGB North)
Harri Taliga, President of the Confederations of Estonian Trade Unions EAKL
Franz Thönnes, MP, German Parliament, former Parliamentary State Secretary, Member of the Standing Committee of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference