Violations
Failure to fulfill collective agreement: The Czech Metalworkers’ Federation KOVO reported that the Kovošrot Group CZ a.s. hindered the work of the union through refusal to collect trade union contributions at its Děčin branch despite the company agreeing to do so in the current collective agreement. The company’s stance towards working in partnership with the union was further highlighted by the fact that in Prague unsuitable facilities were provided to the union to carry out its activities.
Carmaker seeks to brush aside union representation: The Hyundai motor manufacturing company in Nošovice has also sought to eliminate trade union activities, particularly in relation to representation of workers. Examples include not seeking the required consent of unions when amending internal rules and not inviting union representatives into investigations of occupational accidents.
Hotel group fires union officers: The Zámecký Hotel Sychrov, part of the S Group Hotels s.r.o, terminated the employment of all officers of the Czech Moravian Trade Union of Catering, Hotels and Tourism. In total seven staff were dismissed, six of them trade union members. Organisational changes were cited as the reason. These dismissals coincided with the end of a monitoring period connected to an EU subsidy granted in respect of the hotel construction.
Anti-union discrimination in the health-care sector: At the Podebrady spa resort Lázně Poděbrady, a.s. five rounds of negotiations took place from March to June between the management and the Trade Union of Health Service and Social Care in the Czech Republic with a view to concluding a collective agreement for 2010. No consensus was reached even though certain partial issues had been agreed orally. When bargaining was finally closed without result, most members of the negotiating team did not receive their share in the profit of the company, although they were entitled to it in accordance with the previous collective agreement.
The poor atmosphere led to both the former and present chairpersons of the union deciding to terminate their employment relationship on 30 September 2010. Although officially by mutual agreement, this was in effect the end result of discriminatory treatment of them by the company management.
Poor industrial relations in the forestry sector: A serious and persistent problem was registered at Lesy České republiky (Forests of the Czech Republic) by the Trade Union of Workers in the Woodworking Industry, Forestry and Management of Water Supplies. There have been repeated complaints regarding violation of trade union rights, including absence of information and consultation, as well as obstruction during the
collective bargaining
collective bargaining
The process of negotiating mutually acceptable terms and conditions of employment as well as regulating industrial relations between one or more workers’ representatives, trade unions, or trade union centres on the one hand and an employer, a group of employers or one or more employers’ organisations on the other.
See collective bargaining agreement
process. In this latter case, the employer failed to respond in due time to the union’s proposal; the situation only changed when the union’s confederation advised them to initiate an
arbitration
arbitration
A means of resolving disputes outside the courts through the involvement of a neutral third party, which can either be a single arbitrator or an arbitration board. In non-binding arbitration, the disputing parties are free to reject the third party’s recommendation, whilst in binding arbitration they are bound by its decision. Compulsory arbitration denotes the process where arbitration is not voluntarily entered into by the parties, but is prescribed by law or decided by the authorities.
See conciliation, mediation
procedure. The collective agreement - concerning wages - was eventually signed after six months of bargaining. A complaint was lodged at the regional labour office in Usti nad Labem.
