On Friday 1 December the railway social partners, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), gathered for the annual plenary meeting of the Rail Sectoral Social Dialogue.
The social partners gave a boost to European Social Dialogue in rail by committing to a work programme for the next two years (2018-2019). CER and ETF decided to adopt a work programme that addresses ongoing trends and challenges facing the rail sector, with a specific attention to rail freight transport in the EU. During the next programme period, they will carry out joint activities on safety, employability, digitalisation and the workforce integration of women.
The Plenary was also the occasion to have an exchange with the European Commission about the on-going revision of the Train Drivers Directive, which is based on the 2004 CER-ETF binding agreement on a “European license for drivers carrying out a cross border interoperability service”.
During the Plenary meeting Giorgio Tuti, President of the ETF Railway Section (workers) was appointed as President of the Sectoral Social Dialogue for Railways, taking turns with Matthias Rohrmann (Agv MoVe/ Deutsche Bahn) (employers), who was at the same time appointed for the role of Vice-President.
The Chair of the CER Group of Human Resources Directors, Yves Baden said: “I am very glad that CER and ETF managed to endorse the new social dialogue work programme for the next two years. We are looking forward to continuing our good social partnership, in order to allow the sector to thrive, and develop its activities in a fast-evolving environment, while maintain and enhancing the attractiveness of the sector as an employer. I wish all the best to Giorgio Tuti for his new mandate and I would like to thank Matthias Rohrmann for his commitment over the period that is coming to a close. During this period, rail social partners achieved good results, including the Rail Freight Declaration signed in 2015, project on the attractiveness of the sector as employer and inputs to the legislative process leading to the adoption of the Fourth Railway Package.”
ETF Railway Section President, Giorgio Tuti said: “I thank the European social partners at both sides for my election as President of the SSDC for the rail sector and their trust. For me it is very important that we adopted an ambitious work program with the right and relevant priorities. Among others we want to improve women employment in rail also by making a step towards negotiations and we want to analyse the impact of certain human factor elements on railway safety in an open and competitive European railway market. Safety is a strength, an asset of the railway sector and as social partners we have our responsibility to contribute maintaining this strength.”
European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF)
Sabine Trier
Political Secretary for Railways and Urban Public Transport
Tel: +32 2 285 46 67,
Email: s.trier@etf-europe.org
The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) represents more than 5 million transport workers from more than 230 transport unions and 41 European countries in the following sectors: railways, road transport and logistics, maritime transport, inland waterways, civil aviation, ports & docks, tourism and fisheries. For more information, visit www.etf-europe.org or follow us via Twitter at @ETF_Europe.
Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER)
Eva Böckle
Head of Communications
Tel: +32 (0)2 213 08 90
Mobile: +32 (0) 473 32 20 94
E-mail: eva.boeckle@cer.be
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) brings together more than 70 railway undertakings, their national associations as well as infrastructure managers and vehicle leasing companies. The membership is made up of long-established bodies, new entrants and both private and public enterprises, representing 73% of the rail network length, 83% of the rail freight business and about 95% of rail passenger operations in EU, EFTA and EU accession countries. CER represents the interests of its members towards EU policy makers and transport stakeholders, advocating rail as the backbone of a competitive and sustainable transport system in Europe. For more information, visit www.cer.be or follow @CER_railways on Twitter.
