EU sectoral dialogue for electricity

The EU organises social dialogues with employers and workers in a number of sectors that involve discussions, consultations and negotiations. Included among the sectoral social dialogues is one for the electricity sector, which involves the employer organisation Union of the Electricity Industry (EURELECTRIC) and workers’ federations industriAll European Trade Union and European Federation of Public Service Unions. The social dialogue covers all parts of the sector, from power generation to distribution, trade and transmission. Among the focus areas of the dialogue are managing the ‘just energy transition,’ skills and qualifications, and youth employment. A 2017 joint declaration of the Electricity Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee focused on the need for quality job creation, reskilling/upskilling, involvement of local partners and communities, as well as European financial instruments to support a just transition in electricity. In 2018, the social partners signed the ‘Roadmap on Skills and Qualifications and the ‘Joint pledge to join the European Alliance for Apprenticeships’, which are aimed at future-proofing the skills and qualifications of workers as part of the electricity transition.