Latvia - 2012

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Population: 2,068,000
Capital: Riga
Economic conditions continue to make it difficult for trade unions and members to fully utilise their rights. In particular there are difficulties in the right to 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
, both in law and in practice.
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958)

reported violations - 2012

Murders: none reported
Attempted Murders: none reported
Threats: none reported
Injuries: none reported
Arrests: none reported
Imprisonments: none reported
Dismissals: none reported
Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher

Background

After steep economic decline in previous years, the Latvian economy has returned to growth (estimated at 4.6%). However, unemployment is still high at 14.8% and budgetary consolidation measures are still being implemented. Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis was once again returned to power after September’s parliamentary elections, but his coalition government has no formal majority.
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958)
Population: 2,068,000
Capital: Riga

reported violations- 2012

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher

Trade union rights in law

Certain limitations apply despite basic trade union rights being guaranteed in the Constitution. Border guards are not allowed to form or join trade unions.

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
is recognised except for special service ranks in the Ministry of the Interior and Prison Administration. However there is little scope to bargain on employment conditions in the public administration. Furthermore, the criteria to determine the most representative organisation is uncertain and in a time of economic crisis there is no effective mechanism to prevent employers from leaving the relevant employers’ organisation employers’ organisation A body of employers associated for the collective protection and promotion of their interests. Can engage in collective bargaining with trade unions or trade union organisations. and therefore withdrawing from the sectoral collective agreement.

The right to strike strike The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.

See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike is restricted. If the legality of the strike strike The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.

See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike is challenged in court, the strike strike The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.

See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike cannot be started until the decision of the court has been issued. Furthermore, solidarity strikes are illegal unless the dispute concerns a sectoral level collective agreement. Some categories of workers are unduly excluded from the right to strike strike The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.

See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike , and the list of “essential services essential services Services the interruption of which would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population. Can include the hospital sector, electricity and water supply services, and air traffic control. Strikes can be restricted or even prohibited in essential services.

See Guide to the ITUC international trade union rights framework
 ”, in which a minimum service minimum service The operations needed in a public or private establishment during a strike, normally to avoid compromising the life or basic needs of the population or causing irreversible damages.

See Guide to the ITUC international trade union rights framework must be established, exceeds the ILO International Labour Organization A tripartite United Nations (UN) agency established in 1919 to promote working and living conditions. The main international body charged with developing and overseeing international labour standards.

See tripartism, ITUC Guide to international trade union rights definition.

Additional information regarding the legislation
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958)
Population: 2,068,000
Capital: Riga

reported violations - 2012

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher
No entry for this country for this year
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958)
Population: 2,068,000
Capital: Riga

reported violations - 2012

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher

Violations

Telecoms company seeks to undermine collective agreement:

In January 2011, the Communication Workers Trade Union (CWTU) discovered that the management of Riga-based Lattelecom was failing to comply with its responsibilities provided for by a collective agreement, particularly in relation to the company pension fund.

A compromise was reached by the Conciliation conciliation An attempt by a neutral third party, a conciliator, to aid the settling of an industrial dispute by improving communications, offering advice and interpreting issues to bring the disputing parties to a point where they can reconcile their differences. The conciliator does not take as active a role as a mediator or an arbitrator.

See arbitration, mediation Commission and on 16 March the parties signed an agreement reducing Lattelecom’s contributions by half. However, after signing the employer embarked on an anti-union campaign with the intention of damaging the image of the trade union and discrediting it in the eyes of employees, thereby seeking to gain an opportunity to withdraw from fulfilling the compromise agreement.

A positive and effective intervention by the State Labour Inspectorate improved the situation. This obliged Lattelecom to make contributions to the pension fund and fulfil its responsibilities. Subsequently, however, Lattelecom employees were prevented from communicating with the CWTU (by making it impossible to connect to the CWTU webpage and to send e-mails to the e-mail addresses of the CWTU officials).

Following a meeting of the National Tripartite Cooperation Committee on 27 May, a reconciliation agreement was signed on 15 July, which restored normality and the internet connection was re-established. Nonetheless, challenges still remain; on 20 October it was reported that Lattelecom denied the CWTU Vice President access to Lattelecom facilities in Liepaja.

ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958)
Population: 2,068,000
Capital: Riga

reported violations - 2012

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher
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