Agreement on Cooperation

(1995)

The Forum for the co-operation of trade unions (SZEF) and the Confederation of unions of professionals (ÉSZT) as the trade union confederations representing the employees of the public sector feeling the full weight of their responsibility

in order of the more efficient protection of interest and in order to take a firmer position towards the government and the employers agree in what follows.

1. They make efforts to form common standing points regarding every issues in connection with employees, in particular with public employees

In their agreement they consider specially important to consult and represent a common view in the issues regarding:

• the salaries, the employment policy and social questions,
• the labour legislation regarding the civil servants
• the budget of the state
• the constitutional law
• the fiscal reforms
• and the improvement of the system of bargaining

2. In the course of this agreement they make efforts to:

• organize common training programs
• form common standing points inside the employee's part of the bargaining process in the self-government of the National Health Service in the regional councils
• keep continuous connections between their organizations for pensioners

3. In order to enforce their interests they

• harmonize their actions
• coordinate their standing points regarding the possibilities of putting pressure and they seek the ways of joint actions

4. They take into considerations the possibilities of founding joint services (voluntary insurance funds, private insurance constructions, etc.)

5. They evaluate the experiences of the cooperations yearly

Budapest, 11. December, 1995
Dr. László Vígh, Dr. Endre Szabó
president's

ÉSZT SZEF
Agreement on Cooperation

(1998)

The Forum for the co-operation of trade unions (SZEF) and the Confederation of unions of professionals (ÉSZT)

as the trade union confederations representing the employees of the public sector - realizing their common interests and feeling their responsibility arising from this - in order of the more efficient protection of interest and in order take a firmer position towards the government and the employers agree in what follows.

1. They make efforts to form common standing points regarding every issues in connection with employees, in particular with different cathegories of public employees

In their agreement they consider specially important to consult on and represent common views in the issues regarding:

• the conditions of salaries, the employment policy and social questions
• the labour legislation regarding the civil services
• the constitutional law
• the fiscal reforms
• the joining the European Union
• and the improvement of the system of bargaining

2. In the course of this agreement they consider appropriate

• the regular consultations between the elected functionaries
• to organize common management meetings in subjects of common interest
• forming and representing common standing points inside the employee's part of the bargaining process in the self-government of the National Health Service in the regional councils
• to organize collective programmes
• to organize common training courses
• to elaborate and realize ways of cooperation in the elections of works commities
• keep continuous connections between their organizations for pensioners

3. In order to enforce their interests they

• harmonize their actions
• coordinate their standing points regarding the possibilities of putting pressure and they seek the ways of joint actions

4. They take into considerations the possibilities of founding joint services (voluntary insurance funds, private insurance constructions, etc.)

5. They evaluate the experiences of the cooperations yearly

6. The present agreement is valid for three years

Budapest, 7. April, 1998
Dr. László Vígh, Dr. Endre Szabó
president's

ÉSZT SZEF
Agreement on the partnership cooperation between the FORUM FOR THE COOPERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (SZEF) and the CONFEDERATION Of UNIONS of PROFESSIONALS (ÉSZT).

The activity of the SZEF and the ÉSZT is based on the same worths. That is why these two confederations proved that they are able to co-operate on the national level. In connection with the present agreement they decided to broaden and deepen the co-operation and develope that to a partnership.

For the aforementioned reasons in a short time they will examine and later they will work out propositions necessary both to the essential and to the organizational solutions including the possibility of a trade union confederation of the public servants.

The recent and important element of the cooperation is to make possible the joining of the ÉSZT to the ETUC. The SZEF supports the admission of the ÉSZT. For the sake of this cause the SZEF is ready (reserving all of its own rights) to form a common ETUC delegation with the ÉSZT. The common delegation requires the forming of equal points of view in European affairs and in the same time it allows the representation of the common principles on behalf of both organizations.

The practical questions connected to the common delegation (conciliation of standing points, sharing the costs) are the subjects of separate contracts that will be attached to the agreement.

Budapest, 02. May, 2000
Dr. László Vígh, Dr. Endre Szabó
president's
ÉSZT SZEF

(1991)

Chronology of the decisisons taken by the governing bodies of ÉSZT concerning the membership application towards the ETUC - As early as their formation a cooperation started between ÉSZT and SZEF (member of ETUC), and it has been continous.

5. July, 1991. Joint declaration issued by SZEF and ÉSZT.

1992. The Congress of Delegates accepted the goals of ÉSZT including the efforts to build international connections with the ETUC at confederation level.

1992. Joint declaration issued by SZEF and ÉSZT.

1995. On the base of the 1992 programme the Congress decided to apply for membership in the ETUC in order to take advantage of the international solidarity.

14. March, 1995. The presidency decided that the international secretary of ÉSZT take part at the ETUC Congress (Brussels, 5-12 May, 1995) and proceed in the case of the membership application.

5-12 May, 1995. On the aformentioned ETUC Congress a donation of 1 million HUF of the Hungarian trade unions was granted to the Bosnian unions. Though the ÉSZT was not a member of the ETUC, it contributed to the donation over its financial possibilities.

11. December, 1995. Agreement between the SZEF and the ÉSZT.

7. April, 1998. Renewal of the agreement between the SZEF and the ÉSZT.

6. April, 2000. The Congress of Delegates of ÉSZT confirmed its earlier decision. To fulfil the wish of ETUC it entered into a syndicate contract with SZEF (following the pattern of the French trade unions of the public sector) which contract pointed to the direction of a union between the two federations.

02. May, 2000. Agreement between the SZEF and ÉSZT which includes the possibility of forming a common delegation to the ETUC.

Emilio Gabaglio
General Secretary
European Trade Union Confederation
Bulvar du Roi Albert II. 1210 Bruxelles

<b>Dear Brother Gabaglio,

The ÉSZT (Confederation of Unions of Professionals), established in 1988, working as a confederation according the democratic principles of its Constitution adopted by its first Meeting of Delegates on 20th of September, 1989 repetaing its application, expressed verbally and in letter during several occasions according to the explicit decision of its 5th Meeting of Delegates held on 12th of December, 1995 applies for the status of observer member of the European Trade Union Confederation.

On the base of the 24. September 1999. unanimous decision of the executive bodies of both ÉSZT and SZEF we entered into the enclosed syndicate contract for the sake of a better and more efficient international cooperation. Hereby we attache the supporting proposals of the five national trade union confederations - all members of the ETUC.

Budapest, 29th Augusztus, 2000

Budapest, 02. May, 2000
Dr. László Vígh, Dr. Endre Szabó
president's
ÉSZT SZEF

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SZEF FORUM FOR THE COOPERATION OF TRADE UNIONS
H-1068 Budapest VI., Városligeti fasor 10.
Telefon: (36-1) 413-1614, (36-1) 413-1615 , telefax: (36-1) 413-1605,
E-mail: szef@szef.hu

ÉSZT CONFEDERATION OF UNIONS OF PROFESSIONALS
H-1066 Budapest,Jókai u.2.
T/F: (36-1)331-4577
E-mail: eszt@interware.hu