The annual plenary session of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee on Live Performance took place on the 10th of October 2019. This was also the 20th anniversary of the founding of the committee and so the social partners decided to mark the occasion in a number of ways. The evening preceding the meeting, Pearle*, FIM, FIA and UNI MEI organised a small gathering in the historical Kaaitheater in Brussels to bring delegates together in an informal setting to recall some of the highlights of the work done over the 20 years and to hear from the European Economic and Social committee and the social dialogue unit of DG EMPL regarding the opportunities and challenges for social dialogue at the European Level. We were pleased to be joined by guest speakers Sigried Caspar from the Social Dialogue Unit of the DG Employment and Social Affairs and by Stefano Martinelli, representing the Cabinet of the President of the European Economic and Social Committee. It was an occasion to recall the highlights of the work of the social partners, ranging over their capacity-building projects, health and safety work, focus on skills development and many initiatives relating to mobility in the sector. Pearle* was represented by director Anita Debaere and President Morton Gjelten of the Norwegian Theatre and Orchestra Employers; while Denys Fouqueray of the Syndicat Français des Artistes-interprètes, Dave Webster of the Musicians’ Union in the UK, and Johannes Studinger director of UNI MEI took the floor on behalf of the unions.
At their joint annual plenary session on the 10th of October, the social partners included a special session on 20 Years of Social Dialogue on their agenda, with a view to adopting a joint, forward-looking declaration regarding the future challenges and perspectives for social dialogue and its role in a sustainable and vibrant European Cultural sector. The social partners were pleased to welcome two high level commission representatives to address the committee and witness the signature and adoption of the declaration. They were Joost Korte, Director General of DG Employment and Social Affairs and Tamas Szucs, Director for Culture and Creativity in DG Education and Culture. These speakers offered the committee their valuable insights into the priorities and planned work of the Commission in its new mandate, with relevance to the work of the social partners.
Denys Fouqueray and Morton Gjelten signed the Joint declaration on behalf of EAEA and Pearle* respectively. In the declaration, social partners underline the important place of social dialogue in the European treaty and European employment policies. It also calls on on Member States to recognise the necessity of employers’ associations and trade unions, who should be able to undertake collective bargaining.
The declaration further addresses key issues to be taken up in Member States and reminds the governments, the workers and employers organisations of the conditions necessary to build up strong social dialogue. Referring to the specific characteristics of the live performance sector, social partners recall the role of culture and arts in society, the freedom of artistic expression and the promotion of cultural diversity, which is also embedded in the European treaty.
At the same time, European social partners endorsed a new two-year work programme including six main headings: social dialogue and the role of social partners, skills and training, health and safety, mobility, gender equality, EU initiatives and economic situation for the sector.
You can download the joint declaration below, as well as an infographic presenting the main highlights of the 20 years of Social dialogue and the work programme of the Committee for 2020-2021.
Joint Declaration on 20 Years of Social Dialogue in the Live Performance Sector
Infographic of the Highlights of 20 Years of Social Dialogue
