An EU committee for social dialogue in social services is a gain for the sector and an advance for the process.
Last Monday marked a significant moment for European social dialogue. The European Commission announced the establishment of a new social-dialogue committee for social services, which employ over nine million workers across the European Union. The first such EU sectoral committee in over a decade, it will allow those workers to have their voices heard at the European level.
Care more than deserves its seat at the European table. Social services has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the EU. Employment has increased by 15.5 per cent in the last decade, twice the growth rate of the EU workforce as a whole, to represent almost 5 per cent of the latter in 2022.
The growing demand for long-term care will necessitate the addition of more than 1.6 million care workers by 2050, just to maintain current coverage. Europe’s ageing population presents economic opportunities but also challenges for the sector.
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Unfilled vacancies
Across the EU, member states are grappling with the challenge of attracting and retaining workers in long-term care. A significant majority report high numbers of unfilled vacancies or anticipated staff shortages. Low wages, difficult working conditions and gender disparities contribute to the difficulties in recruiting and keeping staff.
A 2019 Eurofound study revealed that social-services workers earned wages flatlining at 21 per cent below average national hourly earnings. Part-time work is prevalent, often due to a lack of full-time positions. Women make up more than 80 per cent of the care workforce, highlighting how gender inequalities are reflected in the sector.
The value of social dialogue in addressing these challenges cannot be overstated. The social partners, employers and trade unions, are the key actors in driving the sector forward. Member states with well-established social-dialogue and collective-bargaining frameworks report better working conditions and in the end better-quality services.
It was in recognition of the importance of social dialogue that in July 2021 the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the Federation of European Social Employers (the Social Employers) jointly submitted an application to the commission for a European sectoral social-dialogue committee. The application built upon the social partners’ decade-long collaboration.
Through a series of joint projects, European thematic meetings and a range of joint statements and position papers, the EPSU and the Social Employers had contributed significantly to the sector’s development. Despite the absence of a formal social-dialogue structure, their collaboration had yielded substantial outputs and played a crucial role in advancing social dialogue Itself.
European Care Strategy
The establishment of the new committee aligns perfectly with the objectives of the European Care Strategy, launched in September 2022. This seeks to ensure quality, affordable, accessible care across the EU while improving the situation for care receivers and care workers alike.
Recognising that a resilient care workforce is fundamental to a resilient care sector, the strategy emphasises investment in social services, including higher pay and improved working conditions. It also acknowledges the crucial role of social dialogue at national and EU levels in enhancing working conditions.
With a draft programme already agreed, the new sectoral committee is poised to make a significant impact. Key priorities include improving working conditions, job evolution, skills and attractiveness.
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By addressing these areas, the committee aims to realise the goals of the care strategy. It will also build the capacity of social-services social partners, enhancing their visibility and strengthening their contribution to public social policies.
The establishment of the EU social-dialogue committee for social services is a milestone. By giving the sector a voice at EU level, the committee will create opportunities of direct benefit to millions of social-service workers. We are optimistic about the outcomes that can be achieved through robust dialogue and collaboration among social partners.
Jan Willem Goudriaan has been general secretary of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) since 2014.
Sylvain Renouvel is director of the Federation of European Social Employers. He has a masters in labour law and human resources from the Sorbonne University and has strong experience in labour law and industrial relations.