Control over working hours

Problem

Whereas on the employer’s side there is a necessity for the professionalisation the management of working hours, there is also a necessity on the employees’ side to structurally improve their involvement in working hours issues.

Description

In recent years, the control of employees over working hours has become an important policy issue. Much has been invested in the making of collective labour agreements (CAO) on working hours, holiday arrangements and tailor-made systems. However, commercial practice is obstinate. It appears that the consultation process on working hours and the role and influence of employee representation at company level leaves much to be desired. Whereas on the employer’s side there is a necessity for the professionalisation of the management of working hours, there is also a necessity on the employees’ side to structurally improve their involvement in working hours issues.

Approach

• Create a network of staff that is works structurally on the control of working hours.
• Develop and optimise aids to reinforce this control within the businesses.
• Set up an interactive website, on the one hand to form this network and on the other, to provide content-related support.

Results

• A union network that will work structurally on the control of working hours. In this network there are some 400 union activists. The activists will be in contact with support from the union via the Internet.
• The activists will be in contact with support from the union via the Internet.
• For the benefit of the support, in consultation with the staff, a number of aids were developed in a "toolbox".
• New policy proposals were developed in relation to the specification of working hours.
• This will lead to more attention for and a qualitative improvement in the process of specification of working hours at company level in the businesses involved, with a snowball effect to other businesses.
• The experience gained is directly useful after the project for the improvement of the website and for the recruitment of activists in more businesses and the aids are also directly available for other businesses.

Financing

This project has a budget of 198,729 euros. The funding is covered by a European Social Fund (ESF) subsidy of 140,000 euros and the rest comes from own means.

Contact info

FNV union members
Mr S. Groen

Project start date