TVETipedia Glossary

Social partners

en | fr | es

Employers represented by employers’ organisations and workers represented by trade unions.

Source:
ILO, Glossary of Key Terms on Learning and Training for Work, 2006
ILO, Glossary of Key Terms on Learning and Training for Work, 2006
Access resource, available in English
The "Glossary of key terms on learning and training for work" provides a comprehensive overview of terms and their definition used in the field of human resource development and training. Each tenn is followed by its definition and link to related terms. When a term has a broader general meaning, the definition given in the Glossary refers to its use in the training context. Both terms and definitions, as well as cross-references to synonyms and related terms are commonly used by the International Labour Office (ILO) and several other intematlonal organizations involved in human resources development and training.

‘Social partners’ is a term generally used in Europe to refer to representatives of management and labour (employer organisations and trade unions), and in some contexts public authorities, that engage in social dialogue. Primary EU law refers to the concept of ‘social partners’ for the first time in Article 152 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

Source:
Eurofound, Eurofound Glossary, 2022 (no longer available)
Eurofound, Eurofound Glossary, 2022 (no longer available)
Access resource
The glossary is a compilation of definitions of terms commonly found in Eurofound research and used across the website in the various areas of expertise.

Employers’ associations and trade unions forming the two sides of social dialogue.

Comment

The concept of ‘social partner’ originates in France and Germany and was subsequently taken up in EU circles;
social dialogue can be bipartite (involving representatives of workers and employers) or tripartite (also involving public authorities and / or representatives of civil society, NGOs, etc.).

Source:
Cedefop, Glossary. Terminology of European education and training policy, (last accessed 10/2024)
Cedefop, Glossary. Terminology of European education and training policy, (last accessed 10/2024)
Access resource, available in English, French, German
This revised and expanded multilingual glossary defines 430 key terms used in European education and training policy. Building on the Terminology of European education and training policy – A selection of 130 key terms, published in 2014, this latest version, which draws on the experiences of Cedefop’s experts, gives new definitions and covers the latest European Union policy priorities, particularly on skills intelligence and employment.
Terms are provided in 8 languages: German, Greek, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese. Definitions are available in English, German and French.

Organisations of employers and employees representing specific or sectoral interests.

Source:
OECD, Glossary of terms used in the international survey of VET systems, 2009
OECD, Glossary of terms used in the international survey of VET systems, 2009
Access resource, available in English
(Glossary starting p. 107)
"This report sets out some practical steps that countries can take in partnership with employers. [...] [It] is linked to 17 individual country studies [...][that] illustrate the rich international diversity in vocational systems"