Industrial Relations Practices as a Response to the Impact of the Economic Crisis Discussed in Brussels Experts from partner organizations including TEPAV, from six EU-member and non-member countries came together in Brussels as a part of the EU-funded project.

BRUSSELS – As part of the Project titled “The Economic Crisis Impact on Industrial Relations National Systems: Policy Responses As Key Recovery Tools”, experts from Bulgaria, Estonia, Poland, Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey came together for a study visit to Brussels between July 2 and 6. During the visit, experts from the six countries discussed the policies and practices regarding industrial relations as a response to the global economic crises.

TEPAV Project team is currently in the process of preparing the National Research Report on the Economic Crisis Impact on Industrial Relations National System in Turkey. The team so far has carried out one-to-one interviews with the representatives from several employers’ associations and occupational organizations, and are in the process of arranging similar meetings with the other stakeholders. The TEPAV team has also prepared  a draft report to the Center for Economic Development (CED), the leading organization for the implementation of the Project, and will present it to CED by the end of July 2012. Research and discussions in Brussels indicate that while many countries had similar policy responses to the economic crisis, unique practices and campaigns play an important role in the alleviation of the crisis similar to Turkey’s experience. Brief presentations from representatives of the country research teams summarized the social dialogues undertaken in the respective countries, as well as the progress made on the national research reports.

Aside from the Center for Economic Development and Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV), partner organizations of the project are the Center for Research and Policy Making (the FYR of Macedonia), Euro College of University of Tartu (Estonia), Confederation of Trade Unions (Bulgaria), Institute for Public Affairs (Poland), and  Institute for International Relations (Croatia). The project is financed by the DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.