Social Dialogue: The Key To Social Order

By Author: Gertrude Petty
Total Articles: 8
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In sociology, mutual agreement between people, organizations, and institutions is important for diplomatic relations. Government policies must promote the common good. As a response, the people must obey the rules and regulations implemented by the government to maintain social order. Public and private institutions must level the playing field of opportunities for work, education, and recreation for all people, regardless of gender and race.

The same principle is applied in keeping peace and harmony among stakeholders in the labor market. International labor laws promote the use of social dialogue to preserve good employee relations. This also helps in maintaining the credibility and accountability of managers, owners and chief officers of a company. Generally, social dialogue is exercised through collective bargaining.

Social dialogue is also important in fulfilling bonds between the government and the industries that run national economies. In this case, dialogue functions as a mechanism to solve social and economic issues. Social dialogue only exists when the government and the industry leaders have political ...
... will, commitment, and fortitude to solve the issue. Otherwise, the problem will only worsen during the diplomatic process.

From 2008 to 2009, various consultations and dialogues between the government, business groups, and labor organizations have taken place to resolve social and economic issues caused by the global economic recession. Bilateral and tripartite consultations have led to the signing of national agreements for policy reform in 19 countries. The viability of reemployment services to the unemployed sector of the population is among the issues talked about in these dialogues.

Studies indicate that countries which have utilized negotiation have well-established institutions and highly-skilled diplomats. Most of these are European countries which have come up with sustainable solutions as a response to economic and social setbacks. In the Netherlands, business groups were able to convince the government to postpone planned increases in value-added tax. This is to maintain consumers' purchasing power, as well as to give way to possible reemployment services of some companies.

In order for social dialogue to exist, involved parties must be well-informed of the rules and policies that are relevant to the issue. Workers' and employers' organizations must be independent from external pressures in order to preserve the sanctity of their goals and objectives. Presently, the concern of labor unions largely involves reemployment services to bring back its members to the workforce.