Testimonials

Thierry Aerts, FGTB | Testimony on SOLiD II Exchange Visits

webmaster@businessmed-umce.org — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:55:09 +0000

Thierry Aerts, FGTB | Testimony on SOLiD II Exchange Visits webmaster@busi… Mon 28/10/2024 - 11:55

Thierry Aerts, FGTB | Testimony on SOLiD II Exchange Visits

Testimonials

Thierry Aerts

FGTB

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Anna Kwiatkiewicz, BUSINESSEUROPE | Testimony on SOLiD II Exchange Visits

webmaster@businessmed-umce.org — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:21:57 +0000

Anna Kwiatkiewicz, BUSINESSEUROPE | Testimony on SOLiD II Exchange Visits webmaster@busi… Mon 28/10/2024 - 10:21

Anna Kwiatkiewicz, BUSINESSEUROPE | Testimony on SOLiD II Exchange Visits

Testimonials

Anna Kwiatkiewicz

Senior Advisor, BUSINESSEUROPE

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Interview with Naheel Al-Waked (Project Assistant - Jordan Chamber of Industry)

webmaster@businessmed-umce.org — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 18:56:02 +0000

Interview with Naheel Al-Waked (Project Assistant - Jordan Chamber of Industry) webmaster@busi… Sun 21/07/2024 - 20:56

This is Naheel Al Waked – (Coordinator in International Cooperation Unit) From JCI (Jordan Chamber of Industry)

My expectation from the visit to Brussels is to gain value, and the visit met my expectations, the meeting with stakeholders, organisations and factories gave us a deeper understanding of the best practices and the opportunity to expand our network.

By engaging in discussions with Belgian counterparts and institutions about the challenges of social dialogue as an employer (Jordan Chamber of Industry), we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in managing employer-employee relations and promoting a culture of open communication and collaboration. Leveraging these insights, we can enhance our approach to social dialogue, address challenges proactively, and strengthen relationships with employees to create a positive and inclusive work environment.

There are many practices we can use:

Implement regular meetings
Demonstrate fairness and consistency in decision making
Respect legal framework (Labour law)
Recognising rewards system

Based on the knowledge I gained from Brussel meetings, I wrote a small report about a governance and the important to implement it (as employer).

In conclusion, collaboration following a field visit to factories holds the potential to create a positive effect within the organization, leading to improved communication, problem-solving, team dynamics, knowledge sharing, trust, and organizational performance. By harnessing the collective insights and experiences gained during the visit, employees and employers can work together to drive meaningful change, foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, and achieve shared success in the workplace.

listening to the owner's success story and experiencing the production process step by step during field visits can be a transformative and enriching experience for employee, employers, and stakeholders alike. By leveraging these opportunities to learn, engage, and connect with the organization's journey and operations, individuals can gain deeper insights, motivation, and a sense of purpose that contribute to inspired workplace culture.

Testimonials

Naheel Al-Waked

Naheel Al-Waked (Project Assistant - Jordan Chamber of Industry)

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Interview with El Mahfoudh Megateli (Secretary General of CGEA)

webmaster@businessmed-umce.org — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 23:59:34 +0000

Interview with El Mahfoudh Megateli (Secretary General of CGEA) webmaster@busi… Thu 11/07/2024 - 01:59

My name is El Mahfoudh Megateli, and I am the Secretary General of the General Confederation of Algerian Enterprises (CGEA), also a member of the GB ILO. The CGEA is an employers' organization in Algeria that represents and defends the interests of Algerian companies both nationally and internationally. My role involves coordinating the organization's activities, representing members to public authorities, and promoting a favorable environment for business development in Algeria.

My expectations for this field visit to Brussels were to better understand the practices of social dialogue in Belgium and to identify strategies that could be adapted to our context in Algeria. I also sought to establish contacts with Belgian counterparts and explore collaboration opportunities. I am satisfied with this visit as it allowed me to achieve these goals by discovering innovative practices and establishing valuable professional relationships.

I found the tripartite social consultation model in Belgium, involving unions, employers, and the government, particularly inspiring. The National Labour Council (CNT), the enterprise councils, and the prevention and protection committees at work also seemed very relevant. These mechanisms allow for open and regular communication between all stakeholders, which could be beneficial for improving social dialogue in Algeria.

Discussions with my Belgian counterparts confirmed the importance of a structured and institutionalized social dialogue for economic and social stability. They also highlighted the need for close collaboration between employers and unions to address common challenges. This prompted me to reconsider some of our current approaches in Algeria and to consider more inclusive and participatory methods.

I believe that the establishment of joint committees within companies, similar to the Belgian enterprise councils, could greatly improve social dialogue in Algeria. Additionally, encouraging continuous professional training and development for employer and worker representatives could enhance the quality of negotiations. These practices would contribute to better regional integration by harmonizing standards and promoting a culture of constructive dialogue.

Upon my return, I plan to hold a series of meetings and workshops to share the knowledge and experiences gained during this visit. I will also draft a detailed report and propose concrete recommendations based on the best practices observed in Belgium. Furthermore, I intend to encourage the organization of similar exchange visits for other CGEA members to continue enriching our approach to social dialogue.

I plan to maintain the contacts established with our Belgian counterparts and explore partnership possibilities on specific projects related to social dialogue and business development. I also wish to organize regular exchanges to share progress and challenges encountered. Finally, I will promote joint initiatives, such as seminars and training sessions, to strengthen our members' capacities in social dialogue.

One of the most impactful moments was visiting a Belgian enterprise council in action the CNT, where I could closely observe the dynamics and effectiveness of the dialogue between employer and worker representatives. A discussion with a Belgian union representative on the importance of transparency and mutual trust in negotiations was also very enlightening. These experiences reinforced my belief that similar practices could be highly beneficial for the Algerian context.

Testimonials

El Mahfoudh Megateli

El Mahfoudh Megateli (Secretary General of CGEA)

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Interview with Isidor Boix (Coordinator - Industria-CCOO)

webmaster@businessmed-umce.org — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 23:48:08 +0000

Interview with Isidor Boix (Coordinator - Industria-CCOO) webmaster@busi… Thu 11/07/2024 - 01:48

I am Isidor Boix, a collaborator with the International Secretariat of the Federation of Industry of the Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions of Spain (Industria-CCOO). Over the years, I’ve worked closely on international trade union action, particularly with multinational company supply chains and Indigenous Peoples in hydrocarbon exploration areas. One of my most significant roles was as the General Coordinator of IndustriALL Global Union on the Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with INDITEX. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Amman, Jordan, to explore social dialogue and corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, and the experience gave me some interesting perspectives.

Initially, my main goal for this visit was to share the trade union experience, especially our work with the Inditex GFA in the field of CSR and human rights. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite happen as I had hoped. The structure of the visit was heavily focused on institutional meetings and visits to the Industrial Free Zone and a couple of factories. There wasn’t enough space to integrate discussions on union experiences. Still, it wasn’t all lost — I gained valuable insight into how social dialogue is playing out in Jordan.

One thing that stood out was how innovative the Inditex GFA model is, especially in the Jordanian context. The agreement itself has proven to be a strong tool for ensuring CSR initiatives align with workers’ rights, and I saw how effective it has been in the Jordanian industries we visited. These interactions deepened my understanding of how social dialogue functions in a different cultural, social, and economic environment, and it gave me a lot to think about.

However, I did notice some challenges. One of the biggest issues in Jordan is that there seems to be limited interest from both businesses and trade unions in pushing CSR and human rights within the framework of social dialogue. In comparison to Europe, where these topics are becoming central to labor relations, there’s a real gap in advancing them here. It’s essential to develop these frameworks across the Mediterranean, as they will be crucial in ensuring labor rights are respected in the long run.

The SOLiD initiative, which focuses on social dialogue in the Mediterranean region, is something I see as incredibly important. It offers a way to connect human rights and CSR commitments, particularly in supply chains of European multinational companies. It’s already sparked my interest, especially because I believe it can be coordinated with other, more advanced social dialogue experiences. That’s something I’m keen to explore further.

Moving forward, I plan to keep the relationships and knowledge exchange alive. The review we’ll conduct in July will be an excellent opportunity to dive deeper into the concerns raised during this visit, and I intend to distribute the insights gained with others in my network.

For me, one of the most impactful moments was visiting the Industrial Free Zone. It reinforced the importance of ensuring that our work — whether in Jordan or elsewhere — focuses on the real challenges workers face in these environments. There’s so much complexity involved, but that’s also where the opportunity lies for us to make a meaningful difference.

Testimonials

Isidor Boix

Isidor Boix (Coordinator - Industria-CCOO)

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Interview with Ineke De Bisschop (Adviser - VBO FEB)

webmaster@businessmed-umce.org — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 23:15:34 +0000

Interview with Ineke De Bisschop (Adviser - VBO FEB) webmaster@busi… Thu 11/07/2024 - 01:15

I have been involved in the SOLiD 1 and 2 projects, but have never had a chance to see how the work is organised in our Southern partners’ organisations or to understand in which way their priorities are linked with a wider socio-economic context. The visit to Amman allowed me not only to discuss relevant topics with such institutions as the Jordania chamber of industry, the Jordanian economic and social council or the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission.

The exchange with the President of the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC) was especially interesting. It turned out that there is the same challenge as in the EU: promoting vocational skills and education as the educational choice of a good quality and good image. To me the idea to offer an M.A. degree for those pursuing vocational education was very innovative. The presented materials clearly show that choosing vocational education does not mean excluding the option of obtaining bachelors’ or M.A. diplomas or even pursuing education until the Ph.D. degree. This is a very useful initiative as make more students consider vocational path towards tertiary education. Vocational skills are very much needed everywhere in Europe and in the Southern SOLiD countries.

It was very useful to be able to exchange directly to learn about the way the institutions work. It was good to learn not only about their priorities, but also about the ways their work and liaise with their stakeholders. I have also appreciated a lot two field visits to the special economic zone in Irbid. It enabled me to understand how social dialogue functions at the company level. It was also very interesting to see companies employing many migrant workers and creating a productive environment while preserving diversity of their staff.

Probably the most important challenge – also important in the EU - is to organise effective social dialogue at the company level. Another challenge is to ensure that social partners organisations at the sectoral/national level are representative. Defining representative criteria in an effective and non-politicized way. I also think that a potential challenge is that sometimes social dialogue and civil dialogue are mixed in the southern countries. For the EU countries it is a very important distinction as it implies different roles and responsibilities.

This is a very difficult question as each country/region has its own practices and traditions of social dialogue. I think that exchanging very different experiences and slowly building understanding of a different context is an inspiration of its own.

I am - as all employers’ participants in the Exchange Visit in Amman - very eager to see this south-north cooperation further developing. I appreciate that now I have direct contacts with practitioners from such countries as Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon or Morrocco and can reach out in case of any questions. I do keep my fingers crossed that there is the 3rd edition of the SOLiD project. Ideally, it should focus on implementation of results from the SOLiD I and SOLiD II projects.

Exchanges at the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC) on the challenges related to promoting vocational education. Exchanges during the filed visit about the practice of company level social dialogue. Exchanges during cultural visit to Petra about the challenges the tourism sector faces currently in the situation of the war in Gaza.

Testimonials

Ineke De Bisschop

Ineke De Bisschop (Adviser - VBO FEB)

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Interview with a Participant, Training of Social Dialogue Experts, Morocco

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 09:36:05 +0000

Interview with a Participant, Training of Social Dialogue Experts, Morocco admin Tue 05/10/2021 - 11:36

Testimonials

Participant

Training of Social Dialogue Experts, Morocco

Interview with a Participant, Training of Social Dialogue Experts, Morocco

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 09:36:05 +0000

Interview with a Participant, Training of Social Dialogue Experts, Morocco admin Tue 05/10/2021 - 11:36

Testimonials

Participant

Training of Social Dialogue Experts, Morocco