Social Dialogue on bogus chair renting and skills shortage

On the second of march the European social partners for hairdressing met this month to address pressing sector challenges, endorse a joint position on bogus chair renting, and review key EU policy developments affecting the profession.

A outcome of the meeting was the formal signing of a joint statement calling for stronger action against bogus chair renting practices. Social partners stated that bogus chair renting undermines fair competition and erodes professional standards.

National updates confirmed that labour shortages and skills gaps remain widespread across Europe. Delegates highlighted recruitment difficulties and training mismatches. Participants stressed the need to improve the attractiveness of vocational education and training (VET), strengthen links between companies and training providers, and support apprenticeships through targeted incentives. The European Commission provided an update on relevant initiatives, the Quality Jobs Roadmap and the planned Quality Jobs Act consultation, as well as forthcoming work on fair labour mobility, skills portability and VET strategy. Social partners underlined the importance of ensuring that the specificities of the hairdressing sector are fully reflected in these processes.

Looking ahead, Uni Europa will roll out a series of national webinars to present the recently published collective bargaining report and support national capacity building. The European hairdressing social partners reaffirmed their commitment to securing quality jobs and sustainable growth for the sector through strengthened social dialogue.