ICTU Seminar for Centre for Partnership and Equality in Romania

1. ICTU Seminar for Centre for Partnership and Equality in Romania Changing Times – The role the Irish National Framework Committee for Work /Life Balance, 2000 - 2009 Paul Cullen, Chairman, National Committee D/ETE - National Framework Committee

2. Introduction to Presentation • Purpose: To review the focus of activity of the the National Framework Committee since 2000. • Current Challenge: How WLB policies and the rationale & values underlying consensual flexible working arrangements can be best articulated in the current economic crisis? D/ETE - National Framework Committee

3. Role of National Committee under successive Social Partnership Agreements • Committee first established in 2000 by Social Partners and continued under two subsequent Social Partner Agreements. • Remit to support work - life balance policies at the level of the enterprise that: • Enhance the opportunity to reconcile work and life outside of work, and • Contribute to the effective and efficient operation of the enterprise D/ETE - National Framework Committee

4. Membership of the National Committee • ICTU • IBEC • Equality Authority • Depts of Taoiseach; Finance, Social & Family Affairs; Justice, Equality & Law Reform; Enterprise, Trade & Employment • Chair and secretariat provided by the Dept. of Enterprise, Trade and Employment D/ETE - National Framework Committee

5. Work Programme Themes, 2000 -‘09 • Programme has evolved through a series of strands: • Research • Development of training tools/assisted interventions • Promotion/dissemination of information • Awareness raising D/ETE - National Framework Committee

6. Support for Research • “Off the Treadmill” - research into availability and take up of Work Life Balance working arrangements • Review of Work-life Balance Policies and Practices Across the Original EU15 Member States D/ETE - National Framework Committee

7. Training Tools /Interventions • Support for projects undertaken by IBEC and ICTU:- • Research into how practices could be applied in a shiftworking environment • Workplace tools and guidelines for both memberships • Assistance to organisations by providing access to Panel of Consultants for up to 5 days free advice D/ETE - National Framework Committee

8. Promotion & Awareness-Raising • Annual “Work Life Balance Day” since 2001 • www.worklifebalance.ie website • Newsletters and Information Brochures and Leaflets • Seminars – regional and national D/ETE - National Framework Committee

9. Work Life Balance Day 27th Feb 2009 • e-poster designed for Work Life Balance Day 2009 to highlight scope for changing work routines •  Publicity highlighted availability of the consultancy scheme • Limited resources prioritised to support organisations interested in exploring alternative working arrangements for their employees in response to deteriorating economic conditions. D/ETE - National Framework Committee

10. Breaking The Sound Barrier • Déjà vue : Talk of work-life balance virtually ebbed away with last recession in 1980s! - the stark choice is assumed to lie between holding on to a job or becoming redundant! • Current Challenge: How to ensure that WLB & mutuially agreed flexible work options are not viewed only as a business cost? D/ETE - National Framework Committee

11. Pact for Stabilisation, Solidarity and Economic Renewal The Government and Social Partners agree that urgent and radical action is required to restore stability to the public finances, to maximise short-term economic activity and employment and to improve competitiveness. ..designing a flexicurity approach appropriate to Irish conditions which keeps people working where feasible and equips people to return to employment as quickly as possible D/ETE - National Framework Committee

12. Sign of the Times – Transport Policy to favour people not cars! • "e-working" is to be a cornerstone of the new transport plan •  The unsustainably high volume of daily commute journeys by car is to be reduced D/ETE - National Framework Committee

13. Alternatives to Redundancy are being explored • Irish Life & Permanent – assisted career breaks • Bausch & Lomb – short-term hours agreed in exchange for no job losses • KPMG International – staff opt for sabbaticals or four day week D/ETE - National Framework Committee

14. But how to dispel the constant “One size fits all” thinking ? • Flexible working can open up opportunities for everyone - not just parents - to balance their commitments at different stages of their working lives. • Flexible working also has to be seen in its broadest sense. It can mean opting for annualised hours, part-time work, short-term working, working from home, orchanging working hours, or job sharing. D/ETE - National Framework Committee

15. How can we learn from our own recent experience? • What broad lessons can be drawn from experience of completed projects? • Do outcomes of new flexible work arrangements confirm WLB objectives of employer and employees? • Can the Committee capture and evaluate the overall qualitative outcome of the completed projects? D/ETE - National Framework Committee

16. Lessons to be Learnt …. • What barriers are encountered in marketing the consultancy support scheme and attracting interest among HR managers? • Are possible IR implications a constraining factor? • Is there scope to develop better synergies and mutual learning vis-à-vis Workplace Innovation Strategy initiatives of other State programmes and the social partners D/ETE - National Framework Committee

17. Moving on • Re-affirm commitment of stakeholders to the key principles under-pinning the programme • Link with positive role of European Social Dialogue – e.g.new parentalleave agreement • Review operational effectiveness of scheme • Extend mutual learning to embrace relevant initiatives of other State programmes and social partners • Explore new opportunities to highlight practical value of flexible working initiatives local level D/ETE - National Framework Committee