Lithuania

Aug. 22, 2019
2019 August epsucob@NEWS 16

Substantial increase in minimum wage

Lithuania Lithuania

The monthly and hourly minimum wage rates are set to rise by just over 9%, taking the monthly amount to EUR 607 and the hourly rate to EUR 3.72. The minimum wage is discussed in a tripartite council which takes into account a number of factors but the increases are also linked to specific targets - since 2017 it was stipulated that the ratio of the minimum wage to the average wage should be kept between 45% and 50%. It is also linked to trends in minimum and average wages across the European Union. 
Jun. 20, 2018
North East European Constituency meeting in Tbilisi, 18-20 June 2018

 Северо-восточноевропейская окружная встреча в Тбилиси, 18-20 июня 2018 года

В центре обсуждения участников встречи Северо-восточноевропейского округа были вопросы гендерного равенства и европейской интеграции

Изменения в трудовых кодексах, реформы систем социальной защиты и здравоохранения, опыт приватизации - вот некоторые из вопросов, которые поднимались профсоюзными лидерами на Окружной встрече.
Jun. 01, 2018
2018 June epsucob@NEWS 11

Major breakthrough as unions sign agreement for social service workers

Lithuania Lithuania

Public service unions have made a major breakthrough after three years of negotiations following the signing of a sector collective agreement covering workers in social services. Around 1000 social workers, social worker assistants and home care employees will see a range of improvements to pay and conditions, including a 4.3% rise in the minimum coefficient used to calculate salaries along with further increases for specific groups of workers. There are other measures to compensate workers covering for absent colleagues and for using private cars. The agreement will only apply to union members. The unions are pleased with the deal but say that there is still more work to do to further improve pay and conditions in the sector.
Aug. 31, 2017
2017 September epsucob@NEWS 15

East-West pay convergence stalls

Bulgaria Bulgaria Croatia Croatia Czech Republic Czech Republic Estonia Estonia Hungary Hungary Latvia Latvia Lithuania Lithuania Poland Poland Romania Romania Slovak Republic Slovak Republic Slovenia Slovenia

An analysis by the European Trade Union Institute shows that wage convergence between East and West in Europe was steady up until 2008. However, since then the trend has either stalled or gone into reverse. Taking national average pay as a percentage of the average across the pre-2004 EU15, Croatia and Hungary show the largest increase in the pay gap since 2008. There were also increases in Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.Most progress was made in Bulgaria but from a very low level (11.8%) to 17.7%, still less than a fifth of average pay in the West.
May. 12, 2017
2017 May epsucob@NEWS 08

Unions continue to push for labour code changes

Lithuania Lithuania

(May 2017) The new labour code is set to be implemented in July although trade unions want it deferred to January 2018 with further amendments in line with the proposals of the President. The code has been discussed in the Tripartite Council but it was unable to find consensus on many issues. President Dalia Grybauskaite has been a consistent critic of the amended code and argues that if adopted in its current form then it would have to be amended immediately to provide better protection for workers' and trade union rights.
Sep. 22, 2016
2016 September epsucob@NEWS 12

Unions lose fight to block labour code

Lithuania Lithuania

(September 2016) Despite the long-running trade union campaign against the labour code and the temporary block put on it by the President, the parliament passed the legislation on 14 September with the government claiming that more flexible labour market rules are needed to boost employment. The code will reduce holiday entitlement, allow more flexility in fixed-term contracts, make it easier to dismiss workers and relaxes limites on overtime and working time.