Category: Social Dialogue

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Photo of the signatories of the Joint Policy orientation
News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

EPSU and HOSPEEM sign Joint Policy Orientation to build a resilient European hospital and health sector

Brussels, 13 June 2025 – The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital & Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM) today sign their Joint Policy Orientation on Creating a Resilient Hospital and Health Sector after the COVID-19 Pandemic. A negotiated process-oriented text that sets common priorities for unions and employers and guides EU decision-makers on future legislation and funding.

Investment, people, and preparedness In the Joint Policy Orientation, the social partners for the hospital sector call for sustained public investment in hospitals and primary care, stressing that “healthcare funding is seen as a long term, ongoing investment rather than an expenditure”. The orientation encourages the Member States to prolong EU4Health in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework. The Social Partners commit to work together with the support of governments to develop measures to reduce staff shortages, and refer to a wide range of actions to make the total reward package more attractive to workers including but not limiting to wages, work life balance or continuous professional development in line with their updated Framework of Action on Recruitment and Retention. The Social Partners emphasise the importance of diversity and gender equality in the healthcare workforce.

Stronger social dialogue and collective bargaining EPSU and HOSPEEM underline that stronger collective bargaining and early involvement of social partners in EU processes such as the European Semester are essential, especially during crises.

From words to follow-up Both organisations commit to follow-up every three years and to work closely with the European Commission, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) so that resilience remains a policy priority and lessons from COVID-19 are hard-wired into preparedness plans.

Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary, said: “Our health systems cannot afford another round of austerity. The pandemic taught us that public investment fundamental to the resilience of our societies and economies. This joint policy orientation is a clear message from both workers and employers: investing in healthcare is key to Europe’s preparedness and social partners must be at the table shaping that future.”

Marta Branca, HOSPEEM Secretary General states: “Especially now that the EU places preparedness high on the agenda, it is important to recognise: funding healthcare is not a cost, but a long-term investment in our economy and society. Through the Joint Policy Orientation, we as Social partners are committing to a shared vision to help ensure that hospitals remain safe, adaptive, and sustainable workplaces capable of delivering high-quality care in any circumstance.”

The signing underscores the value of sectoral social dialogue contributing in delivering the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Joint Policy Orientation can be found here.

For more information please contact:

Chloe Kenny ckenny@epsu.org EPSU

Leonie Martin l.martin@hospeem.eu HOSPEEM

The European Commission has also published a press release on the occasion.

HOSPEEM and EPSU participate in the European Social Dialogue as the recognised European Social Partners in the Hospital and Healthcare Sector since 2006. A range of joint documents (declarations, code of conduct, framework of actions, framework agreements) have been adopted and multiple projects and activities have been successfully completed ever since.
European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association https://hospeem.org/
European Federation of Public Service Unions www.epsu.org
News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Press Release: “Violence is not part of the job!”

Five sectoral social dialogue committees adopt revised guidelines to prevent and tackle third party violence and harassment (TPVH) at the workplace

Brussels 6 May 2025

The European sectoral social partners for Local and Regional Governments, Hospitals and healthcare, Education, Hotels, restaurants and cafés (Hospitality), and Central Governments adopted the updated European Multi-sectoral Guidelines to Prevent and Tackle Third-Party Violence and Harassment Related to Work. This follows a six-month round of negotiations last year with the financial support of the European Commission.

This significant achievement demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the involved social partners to ensuring safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces across Europe and providing evidence-based guidance to their members including health and safety representatives at work.

The revised Guidelines draw upon ILO Violence and Harassment Convention (No.190), existing policies, and collective agreements at national level to address pressing challenges in light of increased episodes of third-party violence and harassment at work following the COVID-19 pandemic and a changing world of work.

They offer to the trade unions and employers:

· Key elements for a TPVH policy devised by management and workers’ representatives and trade unions, anchored in social dialogue, occupational safety and health, gender equality and non-discrimination with an intersectional approach.

· Practical tools and measures for health risk assessments – for example psychosocial risks and staffing levels-, prevention, and responses, such as social dialogue, awareness raising, training and clear reporting and complaint procedures.

· Definitions and principles on fostering a culture of respect and zero tolerance to violence and harassment including by learning from previous incidents and cooperating with relevant public authorities.

· Remedies to support victims and hold perpetrators accountable, including support and transparent investigations.

· A joint TPVH website with practical examples of policies and collective agreements

Following the adoption, the signatories will disseminate and promote the implementation of the guidelines among their members at the national level including in future collective agreements.

On behalf of the employers’ delegation:

“By concluding these updated guidelines, employers reaffirm their commitment to fostering workplaces where safety and respect are at the core, ensuring that both workers and the services delivered to citizens are protected”, said Fabrizio Rossi, CEMR Secretary General.

On behalf of the trade unions’ delegation:

“Workers should never fear going to work. Violence, including gender-based violence, should never be normalised and deemed part of any job. By underlining that every workplace should have a TPVH policy and, importantly, be sufficiently staffed and resourced to do the job, the Guidelines will contribute to eradicating what has become a major safety and health risk”, said Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary.

In her speech, Marta Branca, HOSPEEM Secretary General says:

“Updating the guidelines on preventing third-party violence and harassment, reflecting how technology has progressed since the first guidelines as well as introducing a gender-responsive approach, is an important moment for us as social partners in the hospital and healthcare sector. It reflects our shared commitment with trade unions to create safe and supportive working environments .”

For more information, please contact:

CEMR: hamza.bennis@ccre-cemr.org

EPSU: nsalson@epsu.org

HOSPEEM: l.martin@hospeem.eu

CESI: migliori@cesi.org

HOTREC: marta.machado@hotrec.eu

ETUCE: martina.diridolfo@csee-etuce.org

EFEE: monika.hoangthe@educationemployers.eu

EFFAT: v.demoucron@effat.org

EUPAE: carlos.moreno@digital.gob.es

The updated guidelines can be found here (EN)

Events, News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee in hospital and healthcare sector is the first to endorse the Updated Guidelines to prevent third-party violence

Together with employers from central governments, local and regional governments, education and horeca sectors, HOSPEEM concluded negotiations with respective trade union counterparts to update the European Multi-sectoral Social Partners Guidelines to prevent and tackle third-party violence and harrassment related to work. Amongst others, the update introduces a gender-perspective to the topic and reflects the further digitalization that has occurred since 2010.

While the Social Dialogue Committee in the hospital and healthcare sector became the first to approve the content of the updated guidelines in November 2024, the text will be signed once all involved sectors have approved too.

Events, News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Social Partners in hospital and healthcare sign framework for the future of the sector

PRESS RELEASE

Brussels, 1st June 2022

Yesterday, the EU sectoral social partners in the hospital and healthcare sector, the European Public Services Union (EPSU) and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM), signed the updated Framework of Actions on Recruitment and Retention (FoA R&R).

The original text was over a decade old; the revised text now better reflects the changes Europe’s health services have undergone in recent years.

Marta Branca, Secretary General of HOSPEEM, says: “Health staff shortages continue to be an issue for the hospital and healthcare sector across Europe. With the updated Framework of Actions on Recruitment and Retention, we social partners re-commit to initiatives that can strengthen the resilience of the health workforce.”

Jan Willem Goudriaan, General Secretary of EPSU, says: “The COVID-19 pandemic shows the importance of adequate workforce levels and protection from Psychosocial Risks at work. In the updated Framework of Actions, we underline that!  For, us workforce planning mechanisms must take present and future needs into account to ensure that an adequate number of staff with the requisite skills are available in the right place at the right time.”

The updated FoA includes aspects related to COVID-19, work-life balance, gender equality and digitalisation, focusing on the increasing Occupational Health and Safety issues which are important for health workers. These include psycho-social risks and stress, carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances (Hazardous Medicinal Products), musculoskeletal diseases and thirdparty violence.

Social partners are calling to urgently strengthen public health services in order to adequately deliver quality care, ensure equal access and make these services more resilient towards future health emergencies.

They also call on Member States and the European Commission to support social partners in  sectoral social dialogue and  collective bargaining processes, in particular in Southern and Eastern Europe, within the framework of the ongoing Social Dialogue review process of the European Commission.

The updated text stresses social partners’ commitment to strengthen the attractiveness of the sector and to support a rights-based approach for recruiting migrant workers.

It also includes references to existing initiatives for retention, e.g., an active ageing policy and addressing occupational safety and health risk factors together. The signatories also emphasise that social partners must be involved in workforce planning (worker’s needs, skills needs and skills mix) on all levels. The new framework of actions promotes diversity and gender equality in the workforce to reflect the diversity of the society it cares for.

For more information contact:  Leonie Martin, HOSPEEM or Pablo Sanchez, EPSU 

Notes to editors:

About the Framework on Actions on Recruitment and Retention

The initial Framework of Actions was adopted on 17 December 2010. Following a first implementation report in 2016, social partners have been negotiating an updated version between 2021 and 2022. The actions include supporting the recruitment and retention of workers in the hospital sector, improving work organization, developing, and implementing workforce planning mechanism, encouraging diversity and gender equality, continuous professional development for all workers in the sector, and achieving the safest possible working environment.

HOSPEEM and EPSU participate in the European Social Dialogue as the recognised European Social Partners in the Hospital and Healthcare Sector since 2006. A range of joint documents (declarations, code of conduct, framework of actions, framework agreements) have been adopted and multiple projects and activities have been successfully completed ever since.

European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association https://hospeem.org/

European Federation of Public Service Unions www.epsu.org

Press Release in .pdf

*** EPSU also have published an article ***

Activities, News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

HOSPEEM-EPSU Framework of Actions “Recruitment and retention”

HOSPEEM and EPSU signed the updated Framework of Actions on Recruitment and Retention (FoA R&R) on 31 May 2022 (Read Press Release). The initial Framework of Actions was adopted on 17 December 2010. Following a first implementation report in 2016, social partners have been negotiating an updated version of the Framework of Actions between 2021 and 2022.

Staff recruitment and retention are key issues in hospitals and healthcare. This agreement constitutes an important basis for social partners at European and national level to develop concrete action to tackle staff shortages and qualification needs now and in the future.

The key topics of the framework of actions are:

  • supporting the recruitment and retention of workers;
  • improving work organisation;
  • developing and implementing workforce-planning mechanisms;
  • encouraging diversity and gender equality in the health workforce;
  • promoting initial training, lifelong learning and continuous professional development;
  • achieving the safest possible working environment.

Donwload the 2022 updated framework of actions: EN
Download the 2010 framework of actions: EN, FR, DE, ES, SV, BG, CZ, FIN, IT, PL

A first implementation report was published in 2016: EN

Several presentations were given in 2014 about the actions taken by social partners in the following countries:

Mechanisms to access the labour market: jobs for the future and generation contract (Les dispositifs d’insertion: les emplois d’avenir et le contrat de génération), Olga Ville and Sylvie Amzaleg FEHAP / HOSPEEM France, 1 October 2014
The response of NHS Employers to current retention challenges faced by NHS England, Steven Weeks, NHS Employers / HOSPEEM UK, 1 October 2014
The recent challenges for the recruitment and retention of workers in the hospital sector in Italy and the response of the Italian government, Marta Branca and Elvira Gentile, ARAN / HOSPEEM Italy, 1 October 2014
Challenges in the leadership in health and social sector, Kirsi Sillanpää, Tehy / EPSU Finland, 1 October 2014
Austrian joint contribution on follow-up to HOSPEEM-EPSU Framework of Actions, Ulrike Neuhauser, KAV / HOSPEEM Austria, Karl Preterebner and Willibald Steinkellner, GdG-KMSfB and Vida / EPSU Austria, 1 October 2014
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for nurses and midwives in Cyprus, Zoyia Antoniou, PASYDY / EPSU Cyprus, 25 June, 2014

Further material and information provided by HOSPEEM member:

NHS:

Recruitment of young people via employment programmes
Retaining staff through good employment practices
Apprenticeship and traineeship programmes
Ageing workforce
“Nurse Back to Practice” programme
Social partnership forum
(Data on trends staff numbers in the NHS can be found via the Health and Social Care Information Centre monthly statistics)

CLAE:
Longer careers with the job life cycle model – guide to designing an age plan

*** Read 2022 Press Release – Read 2010 Press release ***

Projects, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Dissemination Workshop

The Dissemination Workshop of the HOSPEEM–EPSU joint project “Strengthening Social Dialogue in the Hospital Sector in the East, South and Central Europe”, took place on 16 June 2021 online.  The workshop was organised by HOSPEEM. #EUSocDia

Agenda

Presentations

Presentation and objectives of the project, Adam Rogalewski (EPSU)

Activities of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Hospital and Healthcare Sector, Simone Mohrs (HOSPEEM)

Presentation on the involvement of national sectoral social partners in the European Semester, Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras (Eurofound)

Presentation of the final project report, Barbora Holubová (Central European Labour Studies Institute)

Next steps and dissemination of project results (HOSPEEM)

Report in 13 languages:

Final report EN – BG – CZ – EL – ES – HR – HU – IT – PL – PT – RO – SI – SK in PDF

Graphics 

Graphics: view Gallery or download in PDF

General

Strengthening Social Dialogue project description (2019-2020)
European Sectoral Social Dialogue activities overview (2006-2019)

Workshop 1: Eastern Europe, Bucharest, Romania (14.06.2019)
Workshop 2: Southern Europe, Rome, Italy (15.11.2019)
Workshop 3: Central Europe, Zagreb, Croatia (Online) (20.04.2021)

***This workshop was originally planned in Brussels in 2020. Due to exceptional circumstances, the workshop takes place online on 16 June 2021***

EPSU has also published a webpage on this topic.

***Back to main project page***

This project has received financial support from the European Union

Activities, News, Projects, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Regional Workshop 3: Central Europe

The third Regional Workshop of the HOSPEEM–EPSU joint project “Strengthening Social Dialogue in the Hospital Sector in the East, South and Central Europe” took place online on 20 April 2021. The workshop was organised by HSSMS-MT (EPSU affiliate, Croatia) and co-organised by EPSU.

The geographical focus of this third workshop is on Central Europe, specifically targeted at Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia. Simultaneous interpretation was provided from and into English, Croatian, Czech and Slovenian.

Agenda

Draft agenda, as of 17.03.2021

Presentations (as of 22.04.2021)

Project presentation, Adam Rogalewski (European Federation of Public Service Unions-EPSU)
Social dialogue at EU level, Jan Behrens (European Commission-EC)
Activities of the hospital sector, Simone Mohrs, (European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association-HOSPEEM)
Survey findings for Czechia and Slovakia, Marta Kahancová, (Central European Labour Studies Institute-CELSI)
Survey findings for Croatia and Slovenia, Barbora Holubová, (Central European Labour Studies Institute-CELSI)
Panel and open discussion and exchange on challenges faced by social partners with contributions from: Marijana Filipić (Croatian Employers’ Association), Jiří Horecký (Union of Employers of Czech Republic), Anica Prašnjak (Croatian Trade Union of Nurses and Medical Technicians), Ivana Břeňková (Trade union of health and social care, Czech Republic), Anton Szalay (Slovak Trade Union of Health and Social Services)

Report and factsheets (coming soon)

Report

Fact Sheet Croatia EN HR
Fact Sheet Czechia EN CZ
Fact Sheet Slovakia EN SK
Fact Sheet Slovenia EN SI

Graphics 

Graphics: view Gallery or download in PDF

General

Workshop 1: Eastern Europe, Bucharest, Romania (14.06.2019)
Workshop 2: Southern Europe, Rome, Italy (15.11.2019)
Strengthening Social Dialogue project description (2019-2021)
European Sectoral Social Dialogue activities overview (2006-2019)

***This workshop was originally planned in Zagreb on 15 May 2020. Due to exceptional circumstances, the workshop took place online on 20 April 2021***

#EUSocDia

EPSU has also published a webpage on this topic.

***Back to main project page***

This project has received financial support from the European Union

Social Dialogue Hospeem

Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Hospital and Healthcare Sector: Main activities and outcomes in 2020

In this document you can find the highlights of the work of the HOSPEEM-EPSU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Hospital and Healthcare Sector. In 2020 the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Hospital and Healthcare Sector  dealt with a wide range of topics in the framework of the EPSU-HOSPEEM Joint Work Programme and carried out project-related activities.

Download the document

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