The Federation of
European Social Employers represents national employers in social services. The national employers are involved in negotiations with workers representatives, in view of improving the
quality of the services they provide as well as to ensure decent jobs and
working conditions for all workers. This process is called social dialogue.
European Social Dialogue also exists and involves negotiations between social partners (employers
and workers) at European level; through both:
Sectoral
social dialogue committees; bringing together employers and workers from
specific sectors in view of negotiating on sector-specific topics of interest.
Cross-sectoral
social dialogue; bringing together employers and workers on broader issues
which affect all employers and all workers and are not (always) linked to
issues affecting any particular sector.
These two forms of
European social dialogue are organised very differently and involve different
social partners.
Although there are
over 40 European sectoral social dialogue committees, there is yet to be one
which adequately targets the specificities of the social services sector;
despite such a sector employing over 10 million staff in Europe and being one
of the continent’s biggest job creators.
The Federation of
European Social Employers was built to provide a representative European voice
to social services employers and aims to set-up - together with the European Federation
of Public Service Unions (EPSU) - a sectoral social dialogue committee for
social services.
The Social Employers
also aims to contribute to cross-sectoral social dialogue, by joining one of
the cross-sectoral employer organisations already in place.
The Social Employers
will allow national employers in social services to become recognised social
partners at European level, therefore being in a privileged position to:
Discuss
and engage with other employer organisations.
Negotiate with workers
representatives on issues of key concern to the sector’s development.
Have an
impact on European legislation and activities.