In a context of growing economic and political uncertainty, strengthening trade union power remains both essential and increasingly challenging. From 10–12 February, 25 participants took part in the training course “Organising Basics for EWC/SE WC Members”, organised to equip European Works Council (EWC) and SE Works Council (SE WC) representatives with practical organising tools.
The training, held in Bratislava, brought together union representatives from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Hungary, reflecting a shared commitment across borders to enhance worker representation and union engagement within multinational companies.
Organising in Challenging Times
Participants underlined how difficult it has become to build union strength in today’s workplaces — from economic pressures to political environments that often weaken collective action. Throughout the three-day session, delegates shared testimonies about the challenges of organising workers and communicating the value of union membership in complex and competitive labour markets.
Unlocking the Potential of EWC/SE WC Structures
A central focus of the training was exploring how EWC and SE WC bodies can support national organising efforts. When used effectively, these transnational structures can offer trade unionists important strategic advantages by providing:
- Access to key information on company structures, planned changes and strategic decisions;
- Direct contact with employers at both central and local levels;
- A clearer picture of union strength and gaps across the workforce;
- Enhanced access to the shop floor through EWC communications and organising meetings with local plant representatives.
However, participants noted that such potential is not yet fully realised in many contexts. Experiences varied from country to country and company to company, indicating that much work remains to raise awareness of how EWC/SE WC bodies can be deployed as organising tools.
Putting Insights into Practice
Participants engaged in practical sessions to identify ways to translate insights from the training into concrete actions in their own national and workplace environments. Discussions ranged from strengthening the role of EWCs/SE WCs in organising campaigns to identifying priority steps for bringing these issues onto agendas at local, national and European levels.
The training emphasised not only the strategic value of transnational worker representation but also the importance of equipping union representatives with the skills and confidence to act on that potential — ensuring that EWC and SE WC structures become genuine assets in the struggle to enhance union presence and worker rights across multinational workplaces.
IndustriAll Europe continues to support affiliates in building capacity for effective worker representation and encourages further mobilisation of EWC and SE WC members as key actors in trade union organising