Trade union education in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

The changes in Central and Eastern Europe that were set in motion at the end of the 1980s threw up a variety of challenges for trade union organisations and placed new demands on their officers and representatives, which in turn produced a range of new training needs. This article intends to start a process - gaining a better understanding of trade union education provision in Central and Eastern Europe. Evidence from four case studies - KNSB (Bulgaria), ČMKOS (Czech Republic), KOZ SR (Slovak Republic) and NSZZ Solidarność (Poland)- shows that trade union organisations have continued to consider education as an integral part of their development strategy, and have established structures for the aggregation of training needs and for the delivery of training within their organisations. In the absence of systematic funding from the state or of agreements with employers' organisations, trade unions carry the financial burden themselves, on occasions with support from western trade union organisations and European or international organisations. The pattern of trade union education provision is generally structured so as to ensure a 'stepped' pathway for the learner, and emphasis is placed, unsurprisingly, on capacity-building. The twin-track approach undertaken by ETUCO provides a response to certain specific needs articulated by CEEC trade unions and also enables a limited number of CEEC trade union officers and representatives to participate in pan-European trade union education activities. However further resources will be needed to increase the number of training activities to the level required to respond adequately to the training needs of ETUC-affiliated organisations in the CEECs.