STRONG Sustainable social policy ThROugh capacity strengtheniNG

About this project

<p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif">STRONG project aimed to strengthen the social dialogue policies and practices in Bulgaria, to improve the tripartite dialogue and consultations at national, regional and local level, to stimulate the bilateral cooperation between Norway and Bulgaria sharing expertise, experience, knowledge and best practices.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif">The project aimed to raise the capacity of social partners to participate in the bipartite/tripartite cooperation through transfer of good practices, organization of study visits and trainings, and to improve the skills and knowledge of the stakeholders in dispute prevention and voluntary resolution in social dialogue. The activity list included triparitate dialogue, dispute resolution and online training platform, in particular:&nbsp;</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Research of best practices in tripartite dialogue in EU and Norway.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Development of handbook “Voluntary dispute resolution – negotiations, mediation, conciliation, arbitration. Solving collective labour disputes”.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Study visit to Norway for exchange of good practices with representatives of the Association of the Organisations of Bulgarian Employers.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Organisation of 4 regional workshops with the participation of NHO in Sofia, Karlovo, Burgas and Varna.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Development of on line training platform with four training modules – </span></span> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Module 1 – Conflict management</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Module 2 – Dealing with stress at workplace</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Module 3 – Good practices for efficient communication during negotiations</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="color: #000000">Module 4 – Successful tactics in conducting negotiations</span></span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif">The target group consisted of social partners, including the four employers' organizations in Bulgaria: BICA, BIA, BCCI, and CEIB.</span></p>

Bilateral cooperation results

The project transferred good practices from Norway to strengthen social dialogue and tripartite dialogue in Bulgaria. The most useful lessons were learned during the organised study trip in Norway, where representatives of all officially recognised employers’ associations in Bulgaria took part. The delegation visited the main employer confederation NHO, the main trade union confederation LO and Digital Norway for knowledge sharing regarding the successful Nordic model of social dialogue in Norway and its key elements; the Basic Agreement as an instrument for consultation and information; the main functions of the trade unions and their role in the social dialogue; tripartite cooperation in the world of work in Norway; and CSR good practices applied by Norwegian companies. The bilateral partenership also led to a second phase of the project called SOLID.

Project partners

• Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise Donor project partner· Norway
• Norwegian Bulgarian Business Group Project partner· Bulgaria