Solidarity, Collective Bargaining, Health, Estonia

The EAKL trade union confederation reports that health sector trade unions have negotiated pay rises of around 10% for health workers, due to be paid from 1 April. There are some variations across occupations with 10.01% for doctors; 10.03% for specialists; 10.07% for clinical psychologists; 10.09% for nurses and health care support specialists; 14.22% for specialty nurses and midwives; 9.89% for emergency technicians; 10.11% for emergency medical technicians 10.11%; and 10.14% for maintenance workers.

The EAKL trade union confederation has called for real wage increases for frontline workers, particularly in the light of all their efforts during the pandemic. Negotiations on health workers’ pay are now continuing through a national conciliator and EAKL is particularly concerned that the pressures on the service need to be addressed and particularly the low levels of pay that is driving workers away from the sector. Meanwhile the confederation reports that negotiations on the salaries of emergency service and police officers have not even started and is concerned that the state budget is not

(July 2017) The energy workers' union has achieved a significant victory in negotiating a new collective agreement covering the Narva power plants in Eastern Estonia after the company had indicated that it wanted to end collective bargaining. The union managed to retain all existing rights and benefits as well as negotiate a 3.5% pay increase backdated to 1 March 2017. The pay deal covers this year while the collective agreement overall runs until the end of 2018.

(April 2017) The Estonian energy workers' union organised a picket of the Eesti Energia power company on 18 April supported by the EAKL trade union confederation and several other trade unions. The protest was over the threat by the company to end collective agreements and leave workers on legal minimum standards. The company also wants to consolidate various payments into the basic salary and effectively end collective bargaining. The union has also called on the public conciliation office to intervene and help resolve the dispute. Further information is in the attached union statement.