Radical change in the European woodworking industry: consequences for the workforce and their trade unions

Abstract

In the context of an examination of the employment situation in the European woodworking industry, the author argues the need for the trade unions to adopt a stronger European bias in the formulation of their policy demands. The structural difficulties affecting the woodworking industry are such that the volume of employment is not even going to stabilise in the long term, let alone improve. The new distribution of labour between western Europe and the production sites of central and eastern Europe places further new demands on the trade unions. This contribution argues the need for more effective coordination of the trade unions' policies on Europe. It is first of all necessary, to this end, that the trade unions surmount their internal difficulties at national level, for only then will stronger European commitment become a real possibility. In the past Europe has too often been regarded as an "add-on" construction rather than an integrative process. Accordingly, there is a need for serious efforts to bring into being a European collective bargaining policy, but few such efforts are in sight. Turning to consider developments at the level of the multinationals, the author points out that the activity of the European works councils must be fleshed out if workers are to be enabled to identify with these bodies. Finally, as a traditional sector located close to nature, the woodworking sector is eminently well-placed to embark upon a trade union "ecological offensive".