Unions welcome new labour code

(July 2016) Trade unions have welcomed the decision by President Dalia Grybauskaitė to veto the draft Labour Code. She said that the Code fails to provide adequate protections for workers and she has sent it back to Parliament with 22 suggested amendments. The unions have been campaigning against the Code since last autumn, warning of the impact of measures that would relax rules on working time and make it easier for employers to sack workers. Read more at Baltic Times (EN) and EPSU (EN).

Parliament has agreed significant changes to the Labour Code, including: either severance pay or a layoff notice period but not both; longer periods for fixed-time employment; longer overtime hours permitted; less pay for overtime work; more night shifts allowed. While there are some positive elements in terms of holiday entitlement and maternity benefits the Slovak trade union confederation says that overall impact is aimed at weakening employees’ rights creating more flexibility for employers in the labour market. [Read more at > Slovak Spectator news website (EN)->http://spectator.sme.sk

Following general elections last year, the new government has taken some steps towards improving the labour code. The code had been changed in 2003 leaving it providing few protections for workers or trade unions. Unfortunately, the revised code still includes unreasonable restrictions on the right to strike, while working hours, maternity protection and compensation for overtime and night work are insufficiently regulated. The Georgian trade union movement was consulted over changes but some key amendments were withdrawn following lobbying by national and international employer organisations