Social Partnership at EU level: recent developments

Macquarie Graduate School of Management Research Office would like to invite you to a Seminar to be presented by Dr Philippe Pochet, Griffith Business School, Griffith University& Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

11.30 – 12.30 Tuesday 24th October 2006

Abstract
Compared to Work Choices in Australia, recent developments at EU level present a different picture if we consider the legal, institutional and discursive dimensions. The legal framework allows European social partners (unions and employers) to sign EU collective agreements which could be transformed into binding EU law. The European Commission is supporting the creation of sectoral social dialogue by recognizing and funding sectoral committees (33 so far) which could also sign voluntary and binding agreements. Finally the EU institutions have developed a sophisticated discourse about the necessity of social partnership for change. After presenting these innovations Dr Pochet will consider the main challenges among others the weakness of the European social actors, the evolutions at national level and the enlargement process.

Presenter
Philippe Pochet is an Adjunct Professor, Department of Industrial Relations, Griffith Business School, Griffith University. He teaches at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium and is research associated at the Free University of Brussels. He is Director of the Observatoire Social Europeen, a research centre on EU industrial relations and social policies. He is the Digest Editor of the Journal of European Social Policy (which presents in each issue the main industrial relations and social developments in the EU). He is the General Editor of the Work and Welfare Series for the publisher PIE/Peter Lang.

Morning Tea to be served from 11.00. For further information, please email to research@mgsm.edu.au