On Monday, November 22, Total’s senior management and three European federations, EMCEF, FECCIA and FECER*, signed an agreement in which they together confirmed a number of general strategic orientations to promote ongoing employee dialogue in Total’s European businesses.

“For the first time in the history of the Group, we have signed an agreement that will be applied in the enlarged European Union and the European Economic Area,” said Jean-Jacques Guilbaud, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Communications at Total. “The agreement should enable dialogue with employees to play an important role in supporting economic, organisational and societal change.”

In order to provide a favourable context for this commitment to social dialogue, the agreement is based on three major principles:

• Expansion of employee dialogue through provision of more information and consultation with employee representatives on Total’s plans for change in its European businesses.
  
  
• Support for long term career management and a culture of life-long learning in professional life.
  
  
• Identification and application of appropriate solutions relative to employment, working conditions and a social safety net in the event of changes in the various parts of the company.

Total’s senior management  undertakes to encourage its European business units to apply these principles of its Europe-wide social platform.   During its twice yearly meetings, the European Works Council’s** Liaison Office will review application of the agreement and the initiatives undertaken.

* EMCEF: European Mine Chemical and Energy Workers’ Federation
  FECCIA: European Federation of Managers in the Chemical and Allied Industries
  FECER: European Federation of Executives in the Sectors of Energy & Research