Construction and social dialogue

Social dialogue has traditionally been a powerful means for workers to collectively bargain for better wages and better conditions of work. However, nowadays the vast numbers of temporary, casual, informal and unemployed workers find it very difficult to organize themselves to engage in social dialogue. For example, data from the late 1990s show that in Spain the percentage of unionized workers was 10.7% in the construction industry compared to the economy wide average of 17.8%.

Due to the changes in work relations, it is important to seek new roles for trade unions and other actors. Where there are legal restrictions on the rights of sections of the workforce to organize, trade unions can campaign for their removal. It is also important for trade unions to secure positive improvements in collaboration with employers – for example in Canada, there have been joint activities to raise the level of safety, quality and productivity.

While trade unions are adopting new roles, new organizations are joining in campaigning for the workers. In India, for example, the National Campaign Committee on Central Legislation for Construction Workers has campaigned to procure better legislation to protect the workers in the sector. There are also cases of informal construction workers which have organized themselves, such as in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The Construction Action Programme is a SECTOR initiative which promotes social dialogue in the construction industry in a number of developing countries.