No C 269/56 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
Opinion  on the draft  for a Council  Decision  concerning  the activities  of certain  State-trading 
countries  in cargo  liner  shipping 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
At its 159th  plenary  session  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  the Committee,  acting  on a 
proposal  from  the Bureau,  decided  to deliver  an opinion  on the abovementioned  subject  on its 
own initiative. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  draft  for  a Council  Decision 
concerning  the activities  of certain  State-trading  countries 
in cargo  liner  shipping  of 6 April  1978, 
Having  regard  to Article  75 and  Article  84 (2) of the EEC 
Treaty, 
Having  regard  to its Bureau's  decision  of 30 May  1978  to 
deliver  an opinion  on this  draft, 
Having  regard  to Articles  18, 20 (4) and 46 of its Rules  of 
Procedure, 
Having  regard  to its opinions  of 22 June  and  23 
November  1977  on this  matter, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur-general,  Mr Hoffmann, 
Done  at Brussels,  31 May  1978. Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its 159th  plenary 
session,  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting  of 31 
May  1978), 
Whereas  it is necessary  for Member  States  to take  joint 
action  against  the  growing  non-commercially-based 
competition  from  certain  State-trading  countries'  liner 
fleets, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION: 
with  no votes  against  and  two  abstentions: 
1. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  fully  endorses 
the Commission's  proposal. 
2. It  is gratified  to note  that  the Commission  has based 
itself  to a very  great  extent  on  the  Committee's 
preliminary  work  on this  subject. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on part-time  employment:  its effects  in the current  state  of the labour  market 
The opinion  of the Committee  is not based  on any  text. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
At its 150th  plenary  session  held  on 22 and  23 June  1977  the Committee,  acting  on a proposal 
from  the Bureau,  decided  to deliver  an opinion  on the abovementioned  subject  on its own 
initiative. 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 269/57 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to Article  20 (4) of its Rules  of Procedure, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  at its plenary  session 
on 22 July  1977  on the proposal  of the Bureau  to give  its 
opinion  on part-time  employment  and  its effects  in the 
current  state  of the labour  market, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  given  by the Section  for 
Social  Questions  on 13 April  1978, 
Having  regard  to the report  presented  by the rapporteur, 
Mr van  Rens, 
Having  regard  to the discussion  at the Committee's  159th 
plenary  session  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting 
of 1 June  1978), 
Whereas  part-time  employment  accounts  for a nationally 
varying  but fairly  large  proportion  of total  employment  in 
the Member  States  and  in some  sectors  of activity  this 
proportion  is increasing; 
Whereas  part-time  workers  must  in all aspects  of their 
employment  have  comparable  rights  and  protection  to 
full-time  workers; 
Whereas  part-time  employment  must  be organized  in such 
a way  as to meet  the  desires  and  needs  of particular 
sections  of the population  whilst,  at the same  time,  taking 
into account  certain  economic  and  social  factors; 
Whereas  part-time  employment  may  also,  coupled  with 
other  measures  and  provided  certain  steps  are taken  to 
prevent  it being  regarded  as marginal  and  second-rate 
employment  and to avert  undesirable  consequences  on the 
labour  market  and  in social  security  schemes,  have  some 
impact  on the employment  situation; 
Whereas  however,  in order  to achieve  a radical 
improvement,  of the underlying  employment  situation, 
various  measures  need  to be taken,  the principal  ones 
being  to increase  the number  of jobs  and,  if sufficient 
work  cannot  be provided,  to share  out the work  available 
between  more  people;  whereas  part-time  employment 
does  not  represent  an  alternative  to  taking  the 
abovementioned  measures  or a substitute  for an active 
employment  policy, HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
nem.  con.,  with  one  abstention: 
1. Introduction 
1.1. Definition  of part-time  employment 
1.1.1.  The  basic  criteria  of part-time  employment 
which  the Committee  adopted  for its deliberations  are as 
follows: 
— the  voluntary  nature  of part-time  work,  i.e. it must  be 
at the wish  of the worker,  not imposed  as a result  of 
adverse  economic  circumstances, 
— regularity:  part-time  employment  implies  working, 
under  a contract  for a definite  or indefinite  period, 
under  normal  legal  conditions  of employment  and 
over  a long  period,  for a smaller  number  of hours  per 
day, week  or month  than  the norm,  as fixed  by law or 
in collective  agreements, 
— proportionality  of pay:  part-time  work  is paid  in 
proportion  to the smaller  number  of hours, 
— performed  away  from  home:  work  performed  at 
home  is disregarded. 
(This  opinion  does  not take  account  of the problems  of the 
agricultural  self-employed,  such  as owner-farmers,  which 
call for specific  investigation.  Their  situation  is affected  by 
the particular  structural,  social  and  regional  conditions. 
This  does  not mean  that  the agricultural  self-employed  are 
not affected  by this opinion.  They,  too,  ought  to be eligible 
to benefit  from  the improvements  which  would  be made 
to the situation  of part-time  workers.) 
1.1.2.  Although  part-time  employment  is defined  as 
the voluntary  decision  of the worker,  there  are cases  in 
which  the  economic  and  social  circumstances  of the 
country  or a given  area  and,  in particular,  the current  level 
of unemployment,  may  in fact  limit  workers'  choice  and 
leave  them  no alternative  to part-time  work. 
1.1.3.  Finally,  part-time  work  should  be differentiated 
from  other  forms  of non-full-time  employment  like 
temporary  employment,  seasonal  employment,  casual 
employment,  underemployment  and  short-time  working. 
No C 269/58 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
1.2. Aspects  of part-time  work  in the current  state  of the 
labour  market 
1.2.1.  Although  the absence  of a precise  definition  of 
part-time  work  makes  interpretation  of statistics  very 
difficult,  it is generally  agreed  that,  in most  industrialized 
countries,  part-time  employment  is on the increase  and 
that women  predominate  among  the people  engaged  in 
such  work. 
It is also  likely,  however,  that  given  a general  reduction  in 
working  hours  and  provision  of more  public  services, 
increasing  in particular  women's  availability  for work, 
part-time  employment  will  emerge  somewhat  from  the 
special  status  it has today. 
1.2.2.  There  are  9 2 million  people  in part-time 
employment  in the  Community,  8 million  of them 
women.  This  is 9 4 % of all persons  working  - 1 • 9 % of 
the men  and  23  6 % of  the  women.  Part-time 
employment  is thus  an established  fact  and  must  be 
regarded  as a regular  element  of the labour  market  in the 
Community.  In addition  to the people  already  working 
part-time  there  are also  many  people  currently  trying  to 
find part-time  jobs  but unable  to do so. Though  the extent 
of the  practice  may  vary  from  country  to country 
(everywhere,  however,  the  trend  is upwards),  and  the 
reasons  for and the effects  of the phenomenon  may  differ, 
part-time  employment  clearly  meets  a demand  and  fulfils 
certain  functions  in the economic  and  social  fabric  of the 
Community. 
1.2.3.  During  the spread  of part-time  employment  in 
recent  years,  the rate  of which  has varied  from  country  to 
country,  its function  and  its place  on the labour  market 
have  also  evolved,  partly  owing  to the changes  that  have 
occurred  in the  Community's  economic  and  social 
situation  since  1974.  New  factors  we now  have  to bear  in 
mind  are  the  changed  jobless/vacancies  ratio  and  the 
bigger  range  of people  potentially  interested  in part-time 
work. 
1.3. Reasons  for  part-time  employment 
1.3.1.  The  reasons  for working  part-time  are many 
and various  and  assume  differing  importance  depending 
on such  factors  as the  prevailing  economic  and 
employment  situation,  the worker's  family  circumstances, 
and the arrangements  and conditions  applying  to this type 
of work.  The  reasons  also  vary  depending  on whether  the 
point  of comparison  is unemployment  or a full-time  job. present  employment  situation  is a difficult  matter.  A 
detailed  analysis  of employment  and  the job markets  is 
essential  for making  a precise  assessment  of the effects  of 
part-time  employment.  The  following  factors  need  to be 
taken  into  account  in making  such  an analysis: 
— with  the situation  in different  countries  and industries 
varying  as they  do, the Community  labour  market  is 
not in fact  one homogeneous  market,  but a set of more 
or less  separate  submarkets  all with  their  particular 
characteristics  and  showing  their  own  special  trends. 
In spite  of the general  shortage  of jobs,  there  is in some 
areas,  industries  and  occupations,  an unsatisfied 
demand  for labour, 
— part-time  employment  assumes  different  degrees  of 
importance  in different  Member  States, 
— the  current  employment  situation  cannot  be entirely 
divorced  from  the features  of the recent  past  and  the 
economic  and  social  out-look, 
— the  motives  and  effects  of part-time  employment 
depend  on many  factors  which  in their  various 
permutations,  can  lead  to a very  wide  variety  of 
situations.  These  factors  include: 
— the  general  economic  and  employment  situations 
and their  short-  and  long-term  prospects, 
— the  individual  situation  of the full  and  part-time 
worker, 
— social  security  and  tax provisions, 
— whether  the  vantage  point  from  which  one  is 
comparing  part-time  work  is full-time  work  or 
unemployment, 
— attitudes  towards  the  place  of  part-time 
employment  in the labour  market  (a necessary  evil 
or a valid  alternative), 
— the  range  of people  potentially  interested  in or obliged 
to resort  to part-time  work  is very  wide.  It covers  not 
only  women  with  family  responsibilities,  although 
these  form  the majority,  but also  other  groups  such  as 
students,  the elderly,  the disabled  and  handicapped 
and people  on the fringe  of the labour  market. 
2.2. The  discussion  in the Committee  showed  that  our 
thinking  about  part-time  employment  is still evolving  and 
that much  further  study  needs  to be done. 
2. General  comments 2.3. The  scope  for extending  part-time  employment  in 
the coming  years  is likely  to be limited,  for the following 
reasons: 
2.1. Part-time  employment  has  many  aspects  and  is 
highly  controversial.  Assessment  of its effects  on the few full-timers  will  opt to go over  to part-time  work 
because  of  the  drop  in  earnings  and  other 
disadvantages  this  entails, 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 269/59 
— there  is unlikely  to be a sharp  increase  in the number 
of part-time  jobs  offered  in the short  term  because  of 
the charges  in organization,  etc.,  required.  This  will 
mean  that  workers  seeking  a part-time  job will  be 
unable  to find  one  or will  take  a full-time  situation 
instead  if one  is available, 
— part-time  jobs  in the more  highly-skilled  occupations 
are relatively  scarce,  though  the situation  varies  from 
Member  State  to Member  State, 
— because  part-time  jobs  tend  to be of the less  skilled 
kind,  hourly  rates  of pay for part-time  work  are often 
low. When  workers  with  a certain  amount  of training 
choose  to work  part-time,  their  wages  are thus  less 
than  might  otherwise  be expected, 
— part-time  workers  are  still  often  insufficiently 
protected  at the social,  legal  (both  under  legislation 
and in contractual  relationships)  and  practical  levels. 
This adversely  affects  their  pay  and  may  give  unfair 
cost advantages  to their  employers.  It also  reduces  the 
attraction  of part-time  work, 
— many  part-time  workers  are  in a weak  position 
because  their  personal  circumstances  make  it 
impossible  for them  to consider  working  full-time. 
Some  of these  would  be able  to work  full-time  if 
measures  were  taken  catering  for  their  special 
circumstances,  such  as changes  in the working  hours 
of full-time  jobs  and  in school  hours,  work 
organization  changes,  provision  of  more 
child-minding  facilities,  etc. 
2.4. These  factors  show  that  the situation  is not very 
favourable  to the expansion  of part-time  employment. 
The position  of part-timers  on the labour  market  is still 
too weak.  This  position  needs  to be improved  if further 
part-time  jobs  are to be provided. 
2.5. The  size  of the  part-time  labour  force  in the 
Community  (roughly  10 % of the total)  makes  it essential 
that the improvement  of their  position  be effected  quickly. 
2.6. With  the improvement  of the legal  position  - by 
legislation  or collective  bargaining  - and  of the 
attractiveness  of part-time  work,  there  could  be an 
increase  in the demand  for part-time  employment  and  it 
would  be necessary  to cater  for this  by creating  more 
part-time  jobs. 
2.7. In  many  firms  the desire  of particular  sections  of 
the workforce  to work  part-time  is insufficiently 
appreciated  and  in some  industries  there  is also  a certain 
amount  of reluctance  to organize  such  work.  Part-time 
work  has  only  caught  on in situations  where  it offered 
significant  cost  and  organizational  advantages. 2.8. A  large-scale  expansion  of part-time  employment 
would  raise  organizational  problems  which  would  have  to 
be overcome. 
3. Conclusions 
In view  of the diversity  we have  noted  in the situations  in 
the different  Member  States,  it is difficult  to draw 
conclusions  which  are always  valid  for the Community 
labour  market  as a whole. 
3.1. The  Committee  considers  that  a policy  of 
encouraging  part-time  employment  must  not be seen  as a 
substitute  for a policy  of expanding  employment.  Its 
primary  function  is to fulfil  a demand  for  part-time 
employment.  As such  it may  serve  to supplement  the 
general  employment  policy. 
3.2. Although  increasing  part-time  employment  is a 
possible  means  of spreading  the supply  of employment 
among  more  people,  i.e. work-sharing,  it is only  one of the 
possible  means  of doing  so.  Furthermore,  any  such 
increase  must  not  be made  at the expense  of full-time 
jobs.  Work-sharing  is, itself,  only  one  element  of 
employment  policy. 
3.3. Quite  apart  from  any possibilities  there  may  be in 
that direction,  more  scope  for part-time  work  may  satisfy 
a demand  from  workers  whose  individual  circumstances 
make  a part-time  job more  convenient,  and  it may  also 
facilitate  a redistribution  of roles  between  marriage 
partners  whereby  both  work  part-time  and  share  the 
housework  and  looking  after  the family. 
3.4. An  expansion  of part-time  employment  in the 
present  state  of the labour  market  would  probably  only 
have  beneficial  effects  under  the following  conditions: 
3.4.1.  It  must  be the  free  choice  of the  workers 
concerned  and  must  be practised  under  circumstances 
which  make  it lead  to an improvement  of their  living  and 
working  conditions.  It must  also  provide  for the special 
needs  and  desires  of particular  social  groups.  This  also 
applies  to the self-employed,  such  as farmers,  who  do not 
come  within  the scope  of the present  opinion. 
3.4.2.  Introduction  of part-time  work  may  increase  a 
businesses  overheads  and  its unit  labour  costs  because  of 
the existence  of a minimum  rate  of employer's  social 
security  contributions,  the social  and  welfare  obligations 
the business  has,  the ways  in which  its tax liability  is 
assessed,  and the fact  that part-time  employees  involve  the 
same  administrative  costs  as full-time  workers.  Steps  must 
be taken  to ensure  that  this  does  not place  an excessively 
No C 269/60 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
high  financial  burden  on industry  or the community  at 
large.  Nor  must  part-time  work  create  a marginal 
underprivileged  class  of worker  with  substandard 
conditions  of employment. 
An expansion  of part-time  employment  opportunities 
must  lead  to an  increase  in the  total  amount  of 
employment  available  in terms  of man-hours. According  to the  ILO  Secretariat,  such  an instrument 
would,  in the first  place,  comprise  a brief  definition  of 
part-time  work,  stressing  its regular  and  voluntary  nature 
and its shorter  duration  by comparison  with  normal  or 
statutory  working  hours,  and excluding  all secondary  jobs 
carried  on by workers  having  a full  or part-time  job. 
Finally,  with  the economic  situation  as it is, it must  be 
made  absolutely  sure  that  part-time  job creation  does  not 
detract  from  full-time  job creation. 
3.4.3.  Part-time  work  must  not  be diverted  from  its 
proper  purposes  and  must  not be a disruptive  element  on 
the labour  market  (moonlighting)  or lead  to a breakdown 
of the social  security  system. 
3.4.4.  Encouragement  of part-time  employment  must 
not be isolated  from  the measures  to bring  about  a radical 
improvement  of the unemployment  situation  and  must 
not hold  up the adoption  and  implementation  of such 
measures. 
3.5. Part-time  work  has  become  a permanent  and 
substantial  part  of the employment  scene.  Therefore,  the 
people  working  in this  capacity,  for whatever  reasons, 
must  no longer  be an underprivileged  class  forced  to put 
up with  substandard  conditions  of employment.  This 
means  that  part-timers  must  be treated  equally  and  in 
principle  have  proportionately  the  same  rights  as 
full-time  workers  in regard  to such  things  as social 
security,  working  conditions,  recruitment  pay,  holidays, 
etc. The actual  clauses  of the instrument  would  provide  for: 
— equal  treatment  for part-time  workers  with  regard  to 
conditions  of remuneration  and proportional  rights  in 
regard  to the remuneration  itself,  weekly  days  off and 
annual  holidays, 
— full  protection  as regards  safety  and health  at the work 
place  and  access  to the enterprise's  social  services, 
— no  discrimination  against  part-time  workers  in the 
allotment  of posts  and  training  and  promotion 
opportunities, 
— measures  to admit  part-time  workers  to social  security 
schemes, 
— safeguards  giving  job  security,  with  particular 
reference  to protection  against  unfair  dismissal  and 
priority  redundancy  in the event  of lay-offs  of staff, 
— trade  union  freedom  and  participation  in the 
advantages  of collective  agreements  and  in the 
arrangements  for  employee  representation  and 
consultation  in the enterprise  with  the right  to assert 
demands  in the same  way  as full-time  workers. 
3.6. Part-time  work  must  be treated  as an established 
practice  and  the  principle  of the  protection  of such 
workers  accepted.  It should  also  be noted  that  some 
aspects  of  the  problems  surrounding  part-time 
employment  have  a permanent  character  and  owe  at least 
as much  to social  as to employment  factors. 
3.7. Finally,  as regards  the official  status  of part-time 
workers  and  their  participation  in the life of the business 
enterprise,  reference  should  be made  to the discussion 
going  on in the International  Labour  Organization  about 
the possible  introduction  of an ILO  instrument  setting  out 
international  guidelines  for facilitating  such  employment 
to meet  the desires  of workers  and  of certain  groups  while 
making  better  use  of labour  resources  and  ensuring 
equitable  conditions  of employment  for  part-time 
workers. 3.8. Inasmuch  as part-time  employment  satisfies  a 
demand  on the part  of certain  sections  of the population, 
certain  support  measures  need  to be taken  to strengthen 
the position  of part-time  workers,  in particular: 
— close  study  of experiments  in providing  more 
part-time  employment  in private  industry  and  the civil 
service; 
— special  consideration  of necessary  changes  in taxation 
and social  security  schemes, 
— extension  to part-time  workers  of proportional  rights 
under  collective  agreements,  and  if necessary 
introduction  of special  measures  catering  for  the 
particular  situation  of part-time  workers, 
— use  of the public  employment  services  both  central 
and regional  to improve  the  transparency  of the 
part-time  job market  and  pinpoint  any organizational 
difficulties, 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities  No  C 269/61 
— vesting  of effective  powers  of control  of part-time 
employment  in the public  employment  services, 
— back-up  measures  in the field  of community  services 
(day  nurseries,  retraining  centres,  etc.)  are desirable. 
3.9. With  regard  to part-time  employment  social 
security  provision,  the Committee  asks  the Commission 
to make  a detailed  study  of the  relationship  between 
benefits  and  contributions  under  social  security  schemes 
and of the setting  of a minimum  number  of working  hours 
below  which  no benefits  or contributions  are payable.  At 
Done  at Brussels,  1 June  1978. all events,  the Committee  considers  that  there  should  be 
no anomalies  in the position  of part-time  workers  in this 
respect. 
3.10.  In  those  Member  States  which  have  statutory  or 
contractual  minimum  wages  systems,  part-time  work 
should  also  be guaranteed  minimum  wage  equivalents, 
taking  into  account  the lesser  number  of hours. 
3.11.  Part-time  workers  should  be  covered  by  a 
collective  agreement,  which  should,  as stated  above, 
include  provisions  on part-time  employment. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
ANNEX 
to the opinion  of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
The following  passages  of the Section  for Social  Questions'  opinions  were  amended  or deleted  as a result  of 
amendments  which  were  carried  by the meeting: 
Page  1 - first  'whereas'  clause 
'Whereas  part-time  employment  accounts  for a nationally  varying  but fairly  large  proportion  of total 
employment  in the Member  States  and  this  proportion  is increasing;'. 
Voting 
Unanimous  in favour  of amendment. 
Page  1, fourth  'whereas'  clause 
'Whereas  part-time  employment  may  also,  coupled  with  other  measures  and provided  certain  steps  are 
taken  to prevent  it being  regarded  as marginal  and  second-rate  employment  and  to avert  undesirable 
consequences  on the labour  market  and  in social  security  schemes,  have  a positive  impact  on the 
employment  situation;'. 
Voting 
Unanimous  in favour  of amendment. 
Page  4 - heading  of Section  1.3.  and  text  of paragraph  1.3.1. 
'1.3. Reasons  and  motives  for part-time  employment 
1.3.1.  The  reasons  and  motives  for working  part-time  are many  and  various  and  assume  differing 
importance  depending  on such  factors  as the prevailing  economic  and  employment  situation,  the 
worker's  family  circumstances,  and the arrangements  and conditions  applying  to this type  of work.  The 
reasons  also  vary  depending  on whether  the point  of comparison  is unemployment  or a full-time  job.' 
No C 269/62  Official  Journal  of the European  Communities  13.  11. 78 
Voting 
Unanimous  in favour  of amendment 
Pages  4-5,  paragraph  1.3.2. 
'1.3.2.  The  main  reasons  and  motives  include: 
— a shortage  of full-time  vacancies, 
— family  circumstances, 
— a personal  choice  because  of a wish  to devote  more  time  to activities  outside  the place  of work, 
— a wish  to supplement  the family  income  or redistribute  the roles  in the home, 
— men  and  women's  search  for emancipation, 
— the  improvement  of working  conditions  for particular  groups  of workers  (the  handicapped  and 
disabled,  the elderly,  etc.), 
— the  intrinsic  features  of particular  jobs  or industries  (agriculture,  public  sector,  services), 
— greater  flexibility  in work  organization, 
— in some  cases,  the need  for a preparatory  period  leading  to full-time  work.' 
Voting 
27 to 20 in favour  of deletion,  with  four  abstentions. 
Page  7 - first  indent,  first  sentence 
'— the  range  of people  potentially  interested  in part-time  work  is very  wide.' 
Voting 
32 to 4 in favour  of amendment,  with  15 abstentions. 
Page  9 - paragraph  2.6. 
'2.6.  With  the improvement  of the legal  position  - by legislation  or collective  bargaining  - and  of the 
attractiveness  of part-time  work,  there  will  probably  be an increase  in the demand  for part-time  work, 
both  from  full-timers  and non-employed  persons.  To satisfy  this  increased  demand,  a corresponding 
expansion  of the number  of part-time  jobs  will  be necessary.' 
Voting 
Amended  nem.  con.,  with  four  abstentions. 
Page  9 - paragraph  2.7.,  first  sentence 
'2.7.  Part-time  employment  needs  to be given  more  publicity  since  in many  firms  the desire  of 
particular  sections  of the work-force  to work  part-time  is insufficiently  appreciated  and  in some 
industries  there  is also  a certain  amount  of reluctance  to organize  such  work.  Part-time  work  has only 
caught  on in situations  where  it offered  significant  cost  and  organizational  advantages.' 
Voting 
Amended  nem.  con.,  with  five  abstentions. 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities  No  C 269/63 
Page  9 - paragraph  2.8. 
'2.8. Amendment  of form  of verbs  from  future  to conditional  (already  the case  in the English 
version).' 
Voting 
Unanimous  in favour  of amendment. 
Page  13, Section  3.8. 
'3.8. Inasmuch  as part-time  employment  is a positive  development  on the labour  market,  and as such 
something  which  deserves  to be encouraged,  incentives  and  support  measures  on behalf  of both 
employers  and workers  need  to be introduced  on a temporary  or permanent  basis  through  legislation  or 
collective  bargaining,  to strenghten  the position  of part-time  workers  and  prevent  an excessive  rise in 
costs  which  would  give  rise to problems.' 
Voting 
Unanimous  in favour  of amendment. 
Page  14, first  and  second  indents 
'— introduction  of experiments  in providing  more  part-time  employment  in private  industry  and  the 
civil service,  with,  if necessary,  help  with  the financing  of any  extra  costs  involved, 
— changes  in the tax and social  security  systems  to encourage  part-time  employment  from  the points 
of view  of both  employees  and  employers.' 
Voting 
Unanimous  in favour  of amendment.