The social partners
of the European commerce sector
On the workers’ side, the main vertical organ- isation for the commerce industry at European level is UNI-Europa. UNI-Europa is the European regional organisation of Union Network International (UNI), an International Trade Secretariat (ITS). Until the end of 1999 the role of UNI-Europa had been taken up by Euro-FIET, the European branch of the International Federation of Commercial, Clerical Professional and Technical Employees (ITS-FIET).
At the end of 1999, a merger involving FIET took place between a number of International Trade Secretariats in related sectors (mirroring the developments at national level in many countries). Together with Communications International (CI), the International Graphical Federation (IGF), and the Media and Entertainment International (MEI), UNI was formed. As a consequence, the workers of the European commerce industry now affiliated to UNI-Europe through their national organisations form one section of an organisation with a much larger membership.
As it was the case with Euro-FIET, UNI-Europa is a member of the ETUC and it is the regional organisation of UNI. UNI-Europa commerce is a section within UNI-Europa with a conference and a steering group responsible for European social dialogue in commerce.
There are 37 trade unions in the EU-Member States affiliated to UNI-Europa involved in CB for the commerce industry, at least one in each Member State.
However, in most Member States there are also trade unions involved in CB for the commerce industry, which are not affiliated to UNI-Europa. Nevertheless, the members of UNI-Europa have the
highest density in the sector in almost all the Member States. An exception is Portugal, where the vertical organisations for the sector of CGTP-IN, member of ETUC, are not affiliated to UNI-Europa. In any case, there is no other European vertical organisation for the sector which could threaten the position of UNI-Europe. Apart from Eurocadres, whose members are also affiliated to ETUC, only CESI and CEC have some member organisations which are involved in CB in the commerce industry.
According to different estimates, UNI-Europa represents between 1,6 million and 1,8 million workers in the EU or 7% of the total employment in the sector. The density of CESI is marginal. A general remark which can be made about the density figures for the trade unions in the commerce sector is that they are generally low. This can be explained by the employment structure of the sector, and more specifically by the relatively high share of small enterprises in employment. On the employers’ side, the main vertical organisation on the European level for the commerce industry is Eurocommerce.
28 employers’ organisations involved in CB for the commerce industry in the EU-Member States are affiliated to Eurocommerce. With the exception of
Ireland, there is at least one in each Member State. Eurocommerce roughly represents more than 16,2 million workers, around 93 % of the total dependent employment in the sector, i.e. 12% of the total dependent employment in the EU (1999 data) and 58% of the enterprises in the sector. Some larger European retailers have an associated membership of Eurocommerce.
In some Member States there are also employers’ 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 EL F P E UK NL IRL D I A B DK L FIN S 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 % of union members in total employment
Commerce: Trade unions density (%)
Source: Report on the representativeness of European social partners organisations, part 2, IST, Univ. Catholique de Louvain la Neuve, 2001 74 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 P B E S EL FIN NL IRL UK A I D DK F % of total
L: data not available
Commerce: Employers' organisations - Represented employment
Source: Report on the representativeness of European social partners organisations, part 2, IST, Univ. Catholique de Louvain la Neuve, 2001
organisations not affiliated to Eurocommerce involved in CB for the commerce industry, but there is not any other vertical European organ- isation which could threaten the position of Eurocommerce.
Uni-Europa (previously Euro-FIET) and Euro- commerce participate in the sectoral dialogue committee for the commerce industry since 1998 (since 1985 they had been working together inside the structure of an informal working party for the commerce industry). The commerce industry is the largest branch of industry in which a sectoral social
dialogue exists.
The social dialogue in the commerce sector is active and is focusing on the key themes of the 4 ‘pillars’ outlined in the EU Employment Guidelines, the modernisation of the organisation of work, fundamental rights at work, CSR, electronic commerce, training and enlargement. The social partners have signed on 26/04/2001 an agreement on guidelines for telework and on 6/08/1999 an agreement on fundamental rights and principles at work. They concluded at the end of 2001 the negotiations on an agreement on voluntary guidelines supporting the employment of mature workers. The signature of the agreement is scheduled early 2002. Social partners are also considering to invest more in the implementation of the agreements at national and company level.
The social partners of the European commerce sector 76
EMPLOYEES EU LEVEL National LEVEL EMPLOYERS COMMERCE DHV (D) GHTV (A) CM-FGTB (B) CCM-CSC (B) CGSLB/ACLVB (B) FASGA (E) FETICO (E) Section Fédérale FO Commerce (F) FNECS-CFE-OGC (F) Auto…(FIN) Fa…(FIN) SEA (EL) SIPTU (IRL) UGL Commercio (I) FENASALC (I) FESICA (I) FENDAC (I) LGOB (L) VHP (NL) CESP (NL) UNI Europa
(Euro-Fiet until 1999) Eurocommerce
Chambre syndicale du commerce automobile de Belgique (B) Fédération royale des garagistes de Belgique (B)
Fédération nationale des Unions des classes moyennes-UCM (B) Chambre syndicale de l'industrie du deux roues (B)
Groupement des vendeurs- réparateurs de tracteurs et machines agricoles de Belgique (B)
Groupement des marchands de fer de Belgique (B)
Fédération Belge de la distribution et de l’équipement ménager et électronique (B) Confédération belge de la boulangerie- pâtisserie-chocolaterie-glacerie (B) Office des pharmacies coopératives de Belgique (B)
Association nationale des grossistes répar- titeurs en spécialités pharmaceutiques (B) COPIME (E)
Apteekkien Työnantajaliitto (FIN) GSEVEE (EL)
CVAH (NL)
IBEC (IRL) IRNA (IRL) SFA (IRL) NFRN (IRL)
National organisations non affiliated to UNI
involved in CB
National organisations non affiliated to Eurocommerce
involved in CB
HBV (D) MANDATE (IRL) DAG (D) FILCAMS (I)
FISASCAT (I) UILTuCS (I) GPA (A) CCAS (B) CNE-CSC (B) DEP-OGB-L (L) LBC-NVK (B) FEP-FIT (L) SETCa (B) FNV Bondgenoten (NL) HK (DK) CNV Dienstenbond (NL) DK (DK) De Unie 5NL) FETESE-UGT (E) SITESE (P) FECO-CCOO (E) SERS (P) ELA/STV (E) SPBC (P) LA (FI) GMB (UK)
MSF (UK) FdS-CFDT (F) PCS (UK) FEC-FO (F) USDAW (UK) FCSFV-CFTC (F) FGTA-FO (F) HANDELS (S) UCC-CFDT (F) HTF (S) FPCDS-CGT (F) OIYE (EL) BAG (D) BFS (D) BGA (D) HDE (D) BAWÖ (A) BHWÖ (A) FEDIS (B) NCMV (B) DSH (DK) AHTS (DK) ANGED (E) ASENDIS (E) CEC (E) FFC (FIN) CGI (F) CNC (F) FCD (F) UCV (F) ACCI (EL) ATA (EL) ESEE (EL) CONFCO MMERCIO (I) FAID (I) CCL (L) MKB (NL) NVG (NL) Raad NDH (NL) VGL (NL) APED (P) CCP (NL) BRC (UK) NFRN (NL) Svensk Handel (S)