Motion no: 8
Conference notes that international organisations such as the IMF, the World Bank, and the OECD have, over recent years, begun to publicly acknowledge – often in contrast to their previous positions – the negative implications
of widening inequality, particularly in terms of economic growth and social cohesion, and the very positive role collective bargaining plays in reducing inequality.
Conference further notes that the new OECD Jobs Strategy (December 2018) concluded that the best performing countries in terms of job quantity, job quality and inclusiveness are Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden,
and Germany – countries that are strongly associated with collective bargaining and social dialogue; that one of its ‘detailed policy recommendations’ is to “promote the inclusiveness of collective bargaining systems [which it defines as well-organised social partners based on broad memberships] while providing sufficient flexibility for firms to adapt to aggregate shocks and structural change” (recommendation A.7); and that
it explicitly calls on Governments to put in place “a legal framework that promotes social dialogue in large and small firms alike and allows labour relations to adapt to new emerging challenges.”
Conference also notes that the OECD identifies rapid digital transformation, globalisation, population ageing, as well as non-standard forms of work, as trends that are “changing the very nature of jobs and the functioning
of the labour market, thus raising new policy challenges.”
Conference accordingly instructs the incoming Executive Council to campaign to strengthen collective bargaining with the aim of ensuring that the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are better able to adapt to traditional
and new challenges, as is increasingly recommended by international commentators.
