Social dialogue will be the only item on the agenda of the Economic and Social Council, the forum's current chair, Evelin Vesenjak from the KNSS Neodvisnost union, announced yesterday.

The meeting comes after the Employers' Association and the Chamber of Commerce announced in June they would not attend council sessions because social partners were excluded from the preparation of healthcare legislation.

A similar boycott had been announced earlier over tax changes by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS), Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business and the Association of Employers in Small Business.

The associations argue that instead of being involved in the decision-making process, social partners are merely being acquainted with legislative proposals.

GZS Samo Hribar Milič said yesterday that the "straw that broke the camel's back was the health reform which is being drawn up by working groups that include informal lobbies but not ESS officials".

He expects the session today to provide an answer as to whether the government will take a measurable commitment on the involvement of ESS representatives in its projects.

Trade unions too are unhappy with the state of social dialogue and have urged Cerar to demonstrate through action that social dialogue is one of the priorities of his government.