About

The outburst of covid-19 pandemic in 2020 acted as a catalyst and it had critical influence in speeding up the process of adopting new forms of employment and work organisation or measures such as lay-offs and short term working. The lockdown, the restrictions in travelling and the social distancing measures formed new realities. 

In this context, the project New Challenges+ comes to open the discussion between social partners about how to face new challenges in information and consultation related with the covid-19 pandemic. Final aim is empowering and capacity building of employees’ representatives to face better these challenges. 

Capitalising on the previous work and partnerships, the project aims to meet the need of trade unionists, work councils’ and EWCs’ members to learn more and better how to move in praxis to cope with these challenges for information and consultation procedures in their companies. This will be attained through exchanging experiences, working together in workshops both physical and virtual ones producing ideas, taking into account input and feedback from representatives of employers’ organisations so as to reflect on possible answers and responses to these challenges. 

The specific objectives of the project are: 

• To discuss the challenges from the outburst of Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent changes in economic activities, such as temporary closure of companies or productive activities, travel restrictions, layoffs etc.
• To discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Information and consultation processes
• To identify problems, good practices, ideas, suggestions and recommendations for the more effective use of information and consultation rights
• To develop an online repository with tips, suggestions and recommendations how to cope with impact of covid-19 challenges on information and consultation
• To organise a series of transnational and bilateral workshops/discussion groups, between employees’ and employers’ representatives, with the aim to exchange information and capacity building material in Greece, Italy, Germany and Spain
• To organise a local workshop in Kastoria with the participation of employers and employees’ representatives and representatives from OBES. The workshop will discuss the impact on local economy, in an area affected by Covid-19.
• To develop a Workers guide, focusing on the organisational and digital transformation of information and consultation processes.
• To organise a final transnational conference in Greece and bring visibility to the implications of the changes of the Covid-19 pandemic on companies, workers’ rights and information and consultation rights.