EMPLOYMENT : WAGE FORUM: SOCIAL PARTNERS NOT WILLING TO REPEAT EXERCISE.

The three-way meeting on wages failed to meet the expectations of the European social partners: after the 1 February meeting, trade unions and employers both denounced the European Commission's choice of format and subjects. All said they would refuse to repeat the experience in its present form.

The wage dialogue was proposed as part of the employment package with a view to "monitoring and debating wage developments in relation to productivity, inflation and domestic demand, unemployment and income inequalities". This first meeting, organised by the Employment Committee (EMCO), brought together representatives of the Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and social partners. All were invited to give their views on wage developments in relation to productivity, on the consequences of these developments on domestic demand and...