GLOBAL SOCIAL PARTNERS’ ACADEMY

The Global Social Partners' Academy, organised by ITCILO's ACTRAV and ACT/EMP, focused on emerging issues and innovations in collective bargaining. The programme was designed in response to the transformative factors shaping the world of work, including globalisation, technological development, environmental changes, and demographic shifts. The Academy empowered workers' organisations and employers' associations to enhance industrial relations through meaningful Social Dialogue and collective bargaining.

The Academy enabled participants to:

• Analyse the role of collective bargaining in fostering stable labour relations and decent work.

• Understand the scope and provisions of collective agreements at different levels.

• Identify global best practices and emerging trends in collective bargaining.

• Develop strategies to address contemporary workplace challenges informed by international labour standards.

The Academy adopted a blended learning approach, which included a four-week online component and a five-day in-person training at the Turin campus. Activities encompassed self-guided learning modules, live webinars, role-plays, and case studies, complemented by expert-led sessions on negotiation techniques and innovation in collective bargaining.

These sessions gave participants the foundation to approach the in-person component with practical knowledge and analytical skills.

OBJECTIVES

Participants demonstrated the ability to:

• Design collective bargaining strategies that address non-traditional and emerging workplace issues.

• Apply negotiation, communication, and innovation skills in collective bargaining processes.

• Strengthen employer-worker collaboration through effective communication and dialogue channels.

• Recognise and integrate emerging themes such as green collective bargaining, telework, and algorithmic management into industrial relations strategies.

• understand and analyse the role that collective bargaining can play in achieving stable labour relations and decent work.

• distinguish the objectives and scope of collective bargaining agreements at different levels (national, sectoral, and company levels).

• discuss the provisions of collective bargaining agreements and the issue of extensions of collective agreements.

• identify best practices around the world related to emerging issues and innovation trends in collective bargaining.

• develop collective bargaining strategies tailored to non-traditional and emerging socio-economic and workplace issues informed by the ILO normative framework, country legislation, and global and national practices.

  determine effective employer-worker communication and information-sharing channels that facilitate consultation, collaboration, and Dialogue.

• apply acquired negotiation, communication, and innovation skills effectively in negotiation and bargaining processes.

By the end of the programme, participants had enhanced their ability to:

• Negotiate effectively in complex and diverse contexts.

• Promote equitable and innovative collective bargaining practices.

• Advocate for inclusive and sustainable solutions in the world of work.

CONTENT

The online sessions (23 September – 18 October 2024) examined:

• Evolving trends in regulatory frameworks for collective bargaining and their application in real-world scenarios.

• The scope of collective agreements, including working conditions, wages, occupational safety and health, and skills development.

• Challenges and opportunities in addressing emerging workplace issues, such as algorithmic management, telework, and green collective bargaining.

• During the five-day training (25-29 November 2024) in Turin participants deepened their understanding of emerging trends and innovations in collective bargaining, building on prior online learning. Through expert panels, group work, simulations, and a study visit, participants explored key themes, including:

• Multi-employer and single-employer bargaining

• Green collective bargaining and just transition

• Telework, hybrid work, and technological change

• Skills development and lifelong learning

Lastly, a collective bargaining simulation hones negotiation skills, while a hackathon-style exercise fostered innovative solutions for bipartite learning.

NUMBER OF HOURS: 40