Adecco workers secure “model” European Works Council agreement

The European Works Council (EWC) at the Adecco Group, a “leading HR solutions” company, has concluded a “model” agreement for fostering social dialogue and empowering local representation. After a years-long struggle with Adecco management, the October 2024 agreement, signed in Zurich, stands as a testament to collective determination.

Just three years ago, Adecco’s social dialogue faced big challenges, leading the company to be involved in four disputes in UK courts with its EWC. However, the new agreement signals a significant turnaround, achieved through the steadfastness and determination by EWC representatives. Their struggle spanned courtrooms and boardrooms, with victories including a historic ruling by the UK Court of Appeal protecting EWC members from financial retaliation about the cost of disputes.

EWC Spokesperson Domenico Colapinto, from the Italian union Filcams-CGIL, said: “This journey was not just about securing an agreement but proving that resilience can transform even the most challenging environments into spaces for genuine dialogue – and to move on from a period of conflict to one of cooperation. The new Adecco agreement can set an example for future EWC agreements across Europe through a strong promotion of democracy at work.”

The agreement introduces groundbreaking provisions in EWC agreements:

• The agreement formalises collaboration between European and local bodies. By requiring local HR managers to involve trade unions in the election of EWC members, even in countries with weak labour protections, the pact strengthens grassroots union participation. This dual-level empowerment ensures decisions resonate from European headquarters to national works councils.
• In countries lacking strong legal frameworks, EWC members now enjoy standardised protections. These include immunity from dismissal or prejudicial treatment for their representative roles. Additionally, Adecco’s global code of conduct prohibits intimidation or discrimination against representatives, establishing a uniform baseline for ethical treatment.
• In a reversal of the typical top-down approach, the agreement mandates that European representatives inform and support local workers, particularly in countries without established national works councils. By creating an obligation to inform the European representatives on national implementations, the pact fosters social dialogue where it previously faltered.

The Adecco case underscores the power of resilience and collective action. Against a backdrop of initial hostility from the previous management, the EWC’s strategy of persistence and strategic networking – including support from UNI Europa – played a pivotal role.

By 2024, a new management team had embraced dialogue, culminating in what Dimitris Theodorakis, UNI Europa Director for Platform and Agency Work, hailed as a “model agreement.” He stated that “the pact is a template for advancing workers’ rights across industries and borders. It sets a benchmark for other EWCs and multinational corporations to strengthen worker participation in transnational labour relations.”