Conference on The Future of Work, Employment and Social Protection
Annecy, January 18-19, 2001
Remarks by Allan Larsson
Allan Larsson
Chairman
Swedish Television Corporation
Rensätra Allé 7
13239 SALTSJÖ-BOO
Sweden
Synthesis of Round Table debate
1. Introduction
The theme of the fourth Round Table was "Methods, actors and levels of political action". It was based
on an excellent paper by Professor Alain Supinot "Towards an international social order".
In his discussion on "New forms of social regulation" he examined the two conditions required for the
very existence of regulation:
He underlined the need for a new power balance and pointed to three fields for the revitalisation of
collective action: information, consumption (for example consumer boycotts) and finance.
Three commentators gave complementary views on the theme, Mrs.Amy Dean, US, Mrs. Danielle
Kaisergruber, France and Mr. Hans Borstlap, the Netherlands. The presentation and the comments were
followed by a rich and lively debate, covering a great number of issues.
I would like to summarise the debate of this Round Table:
2. The starting point: change and stability
The starting point for the debate was a recognition of the realities in working life today in Europe. These
realities were expressed in a distinct way by two participants. First, by Patricia O´Donnovan, who
reminded us that "everything has changed in a work place in the last ten years". Secondly, by Robert
Taylor, who drew our attention to the facts that we have had a high degree of stability in the institutions
of work, in spite of the changes in workplaces. Permanent jobs are almost as frequent as they were ten
years ago and the job tenures are very much the same, in spite of structural changes in the economy.
One conclusion based on these facts is that the European Social Model, in its many different forms, has
served both people and the economy well. On the one hand, it has made changes in the economy
possible, on the other hand, it has offered workers and societies stability and security.
3. The main message: reform the institutions and modernise working life
The main message in the paper by Professor Supinot, by the commentators and the participants in the
debate, was the need for reform and modernisation of working life - reform of the labour organisations at
local level, reform of social policies at national level, reform of the global policies and institutions. The
common purpose for these reforms is to bring about a better balance between economic and social
conditions.
3.1 Reform at the local level
We have very different institutional structures in our countries in terms of labour law, labour
organisation, social dialogue etc. However, there is one strong common element - changes caused by
new technology. Amy Dean, speaking from her experience from the Silicon Valley, said that firms are
restructuring in a dramatic way and labour organsiations need to reform and modernise. They must
develop their role as labour market institutions and as social organisations, strengthening the
occupational identity of their members. Danielle Kaisergruber also highlighted the need to adapt and
adjust on the local level and the need to have more regulations as local regulations, which requires more
local negotiations and broadening regulations to new subjects.
The question "Who adapts to whom?" - the gap between changes in firms and
changes in trade unions - was also discussed. Kaisergruber and Supiot
implicitly saw a need for unions have to adapt to the new realities of
firms (e.g. network organisation). Freysinnet responded that unions do not
necessarily always have to adapt and follow changes in enterprises but might
also resist certain changes, or even be the initiator of changes.
A debate between Amy Dean and Jill Rubery highlighted the necessity to find solutions, which are based
on solidarity between the more successful workers and those who risk becoming marginalized.
3.2 Reform at the national level
Hans Borstlap gave a strong plea for reform of social policies at the national level, reforms aimed at
creating more flexibility by offering new forms of security. Some of our social policies are out of date.
We need to see social policy as a productive factor and we also need a strong social investment
programme.
A debate between Sandro Scocco and Hans Borstlap focused on the balance between flexibility and
security. How can we bring about more flexibility without giving up security for those most in need of
support? How can new forms of rights be introduced, eg. rights to life-long learning, to improve both
the flexibility of the labour market and the security of individuals?
3.3 Reform at global level
Mr Supiot presented ideas on reform of the global institutions. He advocated a new trade policy with a
social dimension, a genuine authority for social fairness of trade, a case-law system, giving the ILO a
central role.
In the debate, these ideas were described both as interesting and thought-
provoking. However, the political restrictions to reform of the global trade system, were discussed,
including the opinion of the developing countries that industrialised countries first have to open their
food and textile markets to produce from the developing countries.
4. Some reflections on the next steps
The Round Table Debate generated a lot of ideas for the work of the ILO. Here are three ideas, related to
political content, political method and political support.
4.1 Political content
In the Round Table we discussed how to bring about a better power balance to strengthen the social
dimension. Such an improved balance has to be achieved together with the employers, not against them.
Therefore, we have to come up with ideas for a win-win situation, making policies for flexibility and
policies for security mutually supportive. One element could be a new orientation towards quality in
work, an orientation recently presented in the new European Social Agenda, agreed at the European
Summit in Nice during the French Presidency. Quality in work is a broad concept, including the quality
in goods and services, as well as quality in the education, training and skills, and quality in the working
conditions. By broadening the agenda in this way, new win-win situations could be created, benefiting
both employers and workers.
4.2 Political method
Could the experience from the Luxembourg process, the "soft law system" in the EU employment
strategy, give some inspiration to the ILO? The ILO will have to maintain a role as a regulator, setting
minimum standards. However, the ILO must play a role in other fields, eg. employment, where
minimum standards are not the most appropriate method. Here the ILO has to play a role as an animator,
inspiring others, UN- and Bretton Woods institutions as well as Member States, to develop and
implement new policies. A new role for the ILO requires the organisation to find new political methods,
eg. guidelines, benchmarks, political commitments and strong peer pressure.
4.3 Political support
In the run-up to the UN Summit 2002 the global agenda will be focused moe and more on sustainable
development. Sustainable development is the integration of economic, social and environmental policies.
The ILO can play an important role in that respect. The ILO represents a third of the emerging new
global agenda and that agenda requires a strong social dimension. Thus, there is a good opportunity for
the ILO to get political support for the Decent Work Strategy by further developing the ideas and the
concrete policies in the framework of a new UN strategy for sustainable development.
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