Tripartit social dialogue abolished
The annoncement of the government was made without any consultation with the social partners.
It destroys the established and recognised tripartism of 23 years - which has proved its usefulness by finding concensus on economic and social issues, in difficult times as well. The Hungarian system of national tripartism has served as a positive example for many in the CEE region.
"The Government is reorganising the outmoded system of interest concertation. It creates a more efficient new organisation, covering the whole of the economy and society - the National Economic and Social Council -which unites three foras parallely functioning untill now.
The system of interest concertation is needed, however in a much more efficient framework than that of today. The National Tripartite Interest Reconciliation Council (OÉT), the Economic and Social Council (GSZT), the Economic Interest Conciliation Forum (GEF) are functioning parallely to each other and in many subjects overlapping. While the OÉT functions with no sufficient cost effectiveness, representing a narrow social strata, GSZT and GEF function in wider issues, but without wide authority today.
The past twenty years have proved that it is necessary to reorganise the articulated system of interest conciliation burdened with parallelisms. Time came to maturity to call into life a new advisory body with consultative rights, covering the whole society, discussing economic and social policy questions.
The National Economic and Social Council is built on the Austrian and Bulgarian model, which are exemplary ones among the European consultative bodies."
Ministry of National Economy
The communication was made just prior to the 100th ILC - in which the Hungarian government runs for a seat in the regular members list.
It was made during the Hungarian EU presidency - during which period the government has declined to convene the tripartite council against the repeated call by the social partners and against the law on social dialogue.
The intention is rather clear:
- do away with any meaningful dialogue;
- water up the structure;
- take away competencies and establish a pseudo consultation - consultative rights, where the government is an observer only ...
The Hungarian trade unions protest against this step and condemn the authoritarian procedures of the Hungarian government. We will definitely take up the issue next week at the 100th ILC.
