Czech.Republic
Background information on industrial relations in Czech.Republic
- 07 Dec 2004
Czech Republic: New legislation seeks to tackle discrimination<#PDF_LINK>A new Act On Employment came into force in the Czech Republic in October 2004. The new measures include changes to unemployment benefit rules and tougher anti-discrimination provisions. There have been several high-profile recent cases of discrimination, notably in recruitment, on grounds such as ethnicity, religion and age.
- 29 Nov 2004
Czech Republic: Public views of trade unions analysed<#PDF_LINK>Surveys conducted over 1990-2003 and examined in this article confirm the fact that trade union membership is in long-term decline in the Czech Republic. The main reasons for the shrinking membership are linked with the sweeping socio-economic changes that Czech society went through as a result of the major transformation processes launched at the start of the 1990s and continuing in part to this day. The research also finds that a relatively high proportion of respondents believe that trade unions are necessary to safeguard employees’ interests.
- 23 Nov 2004
Czech Republic: Controversy over police pay rises<#PDF_LINK>In the run-up to Senate and regional council elections in November 2004, proposals to give police officers a major pay rise provoked controversy in the Czech Republic.
- 23 Nov 2004
Czech Republic: Restrictions proposed on supermarket opening hours<#PDF_LINK>In October 2004, a group of parliamentary deputies from the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) and Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) put before parliament a bill that would prevent larger supermarkets from opening at nights and on public holidays. The proposal was originated by the OSPO retail workers' trade union, which is concerned about working conditions in supermarkets.
- 23 Nov 2004
Czech Republic: New ownership affects industrial relations at Ispat Nová huť<#PDF_LINK>Ispat Nová huť, the Czech Republic's largest steel producer, was bought by a foreign investor in 2003, and a fifth of the workforce is to be cut by 2005. During 2004, the new management has taken a number of measures that trade unions at the firm see as an attack on their position, and enterprise-level collective bargaining has broken down.
- 23 Nov 2004
Czech Republic: Jobs cut despite economic growth<#PDF_LINK>The Czech Republic’s economy has been doing well in 2004, but towards the end of the year the most successful and best-performing firms have started making mass redundancies, or will do so soon. These workforce reductions have not brought about any industrial action as yet and social peace remains intact.
- 27 Oct 2004
Czech Republic: Extension of collective agreements under debate<#PDF_LINK>Following a ruling by the Constitutional Court, since April 2004 the Czech Republic's legislative provisions that allow higher-level(ie multi-employer) collective agreements to be extended to non-signatory employers have been rescinded. In close cooperation with the social partners, the government has drafted an amendment to the relevant legislation, which will create a revised extension scheme, aimed at meeting the Constitutional Court's requirements.
- 11 Oct 2004
Czech Republic: European Works Councils - law and practice<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the implementation into Czech law of the EU Directive on European Works Councils (EWCs), and the country's experience of EWCs, as of autumn 2004.
- 07 Oct 2004
Czech Republic: Energy and chemicals unions merge<#PDF_LINK>The Energy Workers Trade Union (OSE) and the Czech Chemicals Trade Union (OS Chemie) - both affiliated to CMKOS, the Czech Republic's largest trade union confederation - merged in May 2004 to form OS ECHO. The new federation has over 34,000 members.
- 07 Oct 2004
Czech Republic: Trade unions consulted on new government's programme<#PDF_LINK>A new centre-left government took office in the Czech Republic in August 2004. It asked the CMKOS trade union confederation to participate in drawing up its programme, and the latter submitted a list of priority suggestions. The adopted programme includes commitments in areas such as promoting social dialogue and collective bargaining, amending labour law and reforming pensions.