APC 2010 Annual Report Download - page 81

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTED TO AND ON BEHALF OFEMPLOYEES
7 Social dialogue and relations
Schneider Electric management and employee representatives
agree on the place and importance of labor-management relations
in Europe.
Schneider Electric approach
European Committee
Schneider Electric’s European Committee was formed in
January1998 as a genuine forum for exchange and discussion. Its
mission is to serve as a vehicle to inform employees, exchange views
and promote labor – management dialog on economic, fi nancial
and social issues, which by virtue of their importance, global nature
and impact across national borders, merit examination at this level
to anticipate change.
The company’s European Committee is also tasked with encouraging
sharing of experience between employees working in different
Schneider Electric subsidiaries in Europe.
There are currently 35 full members on the Committee and mandates
have been renewed for a further four-year period.
Group Works Council, France
The Schneider Electric Group Works Council is a forum for economic,
fi nancial and social dialog between senior management and the
representatives of employees of the French subsidiaries. Formed for
a period of three years, the Group Works Council, France currently
has 30 full members.
A fi ve-day training session is provided for all new members at the
beginning of their term of offi ce covering a range of issues, such as
strategy, fi nance and sustainable development.
To ensure personnel representatives fully understand the reality of
the Group’s operations, management organises two subsidiary and
facilities tours annually.
Main action plans for 2010
European Committee
In 2010, the European Committee met fi ve times: four restricted
Committee meetings and one plenary meeting.
In view of the arrival of personnel from the Areva Distribution Division
and upcoming legislative changes covering European Works
Councils, the agreement will be amended during the fi rst six months
of 2011.
To ensure continuity of the labor – management discussions while
preparing for the integration of Areva Distribution personnel a
“temporary European dialog body” was formed with three members
of the European Works Councils at Areva, Alstom and Schneider
Electric. This body met four times in 2010.
European negotiation
The European Metalworkers’ Federation (EFM), Alstom and
Schneider Electric signed a European agreement on July5, 2010
concerning the social undertakings of both industrial groups in the
context of the joint acquisition of Areva T&D.
The agreement covers the substantial commitments made for the
integration of Areva T&D employees by both Alstom and Schneider
Electric, to ensure them of a future career and the best prospects to
further their skills in the long term. During the Areva European Works
Council meeting of December17, 2009, Patrick Kron, Chairman and
CEO of Alstom, and Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman of the Board
at Schneider Electric, confi rmed their joint intention with respect to
employment and training management and promoting good labor-
management relations.
The three signatories agreed to meet once a year to monitor this
agreement at the European level. Furthermore, the terms of its
implementation will be closely monitored in the European Works
Councils of both the Alstom and Schneider Electric groups, in
addition to country-by-country monitoring in their respective
employee bodies.
Group Works Council, France
Following two meetings with all French trade union organisations, the
Council’s mandates were renewed in September2010.
Annual visits by the Group Works Council included the Electropole
R&D Center at Eybens and the EMT plant at Fontanil in
December2010.
2010 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 79
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