EU: Chemicals social partners agree on short-time work and lay-offs

EU-level trade union and employers' representatives in the chemicals industry agreed a joint declaration in March 2009 on short-time work and lay-offs, calling for prior workforce consultation, training for the workers affected and public support for companies.

Dialogue between the European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers' Federation (EMCEF) and the European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) started in the early 2000s and the European Commission set up a formal social dialogue committee for the chemicals industry in 2004.