Flemish social partners join forces to stimulate labour market

With the Flemish employment agreement 'Everyone needed, everyone on board', the Flemish employers' and employees' organisations launch forty proposals to tackle the most pressing problems on the Flemish labour market.

Unfilled vacancies, a long list of bottleneck professions, a growing number of employees who drop out due to illness or burn-out, a large reserve of people who are not yet active in the labour market, limited participation in lifelong learning ... the challenges on the Flemish labour market in 2022 are enormous. The new employment agreement 'Everyone needed, everyone on board', proposed by the Flemish employers' and employees' organisations, should change all that.

In order to deal with the current situation on the labour market, the Flemish social partners focus on four pillars: a result-oriented activation policy, a far-reaching training policy, an increased commitment to workable work and taking advantage of opportunities for interregional mobility and economic migration. The goal is an inclusive ​
​labour market and sustainable employment for as many people as possible.

Hans Maertens, chairman of the Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV), the main advisory body to the Flemish government, welcomes the initiative. "The Flemish labour market is on fire. Entrepreneurs experience daily how difficult it is to find the right people and meanwhile keep the company running. In order to tackle the shortage and mismatch in the labour market, we are joining forces with employee organisations to solve the acute problems in the labour market as quickly as possible."

After dealing with the corona pandemic for two years, ​ we are now hit by a Ukraine crisis with tens of thousands of refugees across Europe. But even before the corona crisis there were labour shortages and mismatches. In the meantime, the situation for companies has only become more acute and structural. Almost all sectors and industries are under pressure due to labour shortages. ​

At the same time, in Flanders there is still a large reserve of people who, for various reasons, do not (or cannot) actively participate in the labour market. Moreover, the workability of jobs remains crucial to boosting the employment rate. Lifelong learning is a must, while Flanders is lagging behind other European regions and countries.

The Flemish employers' organisations Voka, UNIZO, Boerenbond, Verso and the employees' organisations ACV, ABVV and ACLVB are now consulting with the ministers of the Flemish Social and Economic Consultation (VESOC) to conclude a tripartite agreement as soon as possible. After that, the concrete elaboration of the proposals can start, in order to evolve towards an inclusive labour market and sustainable employment for as many people as possible.

PHOTO: Voka CEO and chairman of the Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) Hans Maertens © BELGA