The world of work is evolving rapidly, and with it, the landscape of employee representation. As discussions heat up around revising the European Works Council (EWC) Directive, EU co-funded project “SUSEP – Supporting Setting Up and Strengthening of Newly Established EWCs (2023-2025)” is leading the charge in ensuring workers have a stronger voice in multinational companies.
A Perfect Storm for Change
The European Union has long recognized the importance of EWCs as a vital bridge between employees and management in multinational companies. However, setting up and effectively managing these councils remains a complex task due to legal, cultural, and organizational challenges.
In this context, SUSEP comes at the perfect time. The ongoing revision of the EWC Directive highlights the need for stronger, better-informed councils with real influence. SUSEP is designed to empower workers’ representatives and employers by providing essential tools and training to navigate these challenges.
The Mission of SUSEP
SUSEP’s primary objective is simple yet ambitious: to support the creation and enhancement of EWCs across five key partner countries—Poland, Croatia, Italy, Spain, and Romania—while also contributing to broader European-level improvements.
By identifying specific needs, offering capacity-building resources, and promoting best practices, SUSEP ensures that EWCs can function as effective platforms for dialogue, consultation, and cooperation between employees and employers.
How Does SUSEP Make a Difference?
The project follows a structured approach, divided into several work packages, including the following:
- Needs Assessment: The journey began with a thorough needs assessment across the partner countries. Through surveys, focus groups, and interviews, SUSEP gathed insights into the challenges faced by companies and employees in setting up and running EWCs. The findings feed directly into the development of practical resources.
- Capacity Building: Capacity-building is at the heart of SUSEP. Online training sessions, expert consultations, and working meetings ensure that EWC members, workers’ representatives, and employers have the knowledge and tools to establish and sustain successful councils.
- Dissemination: SUSEP doesn’t just create resources—it ensures they reach the right people. Through awareness-raising seminars, networking events, and engaging dissemination campaigns, the project spreads best practices and fosters collaboration across Europe.
Key Outputs: Tools for Success
SUSEP is all about delivering tangible, practical support. Some of its key outputs include:
- The EWC Toolkit: A comprehensive resource covering everything from setting up an EWC to effective communication and consultation strategies.
- A Practical Guide on Information and Consultation: Drawing from research and real-world experiences, this guide helps EWCs understand and navigate their role in influencing company decisions.
- An E-learning Platform: Designed to be an ongoing resource, this platform provides training and knowledge-sharing opportunities in multiple languages.
A Call to Action
If you are an employee representative, trade union member, or employer in a multinational company, SUSEP is here for you! Whether you’re looking to establish an EWC, strengthen an existing one, or simply learn more about best practices, the project’s resources and training sessions are designed to help you succeed. Join us in shaping the future of employee representation in Europe!
For more information, visit http://susep-learning.com/
