Slovenia
Background information on industrial relations in Slovenia
- 08 Dec 2004
Slovenia: ZSSS demands award of 13th-month payment and Christmas bonus<#PDF_LINK>In November 2004, Slovenia's ZSSS trade union confederation called on employers to award workers a 13th-monthpayment and, where provided for by an agreement, a Christmas bonus. Around a fifth of the workforce received a 13th-month payment in 2003.
- 02 Dec 2004
Slovenia: Unions oppose any increase in working time<#PDF_LINK>In late 2004, there has been much debate in Slovenia over a proposal made by some employers to change current legislation so as to allow employers to increase their employees' working time by 120 hours a year, half of it unpaid. The Slovenian Employers' Association wants to discuss such an increase in 2005 during negotiations over a new social agreement. All trade unions are strongly against any such lengthening of working time, and the issue may lead to major conflict.
- 02 Dec 2004
Slovenia: Report makes recommendations on representativeness of social partners<#PDF_LINK>An EU Phare project on social dialogue in Slovenia concluded in April 2004. The project's final report includes a number of recommendations on tackling the controversial issue of how to assess whether trade union and employers' confederations should be considered as nationally representative, and on the industrial relations role played by Slovenia's compulsory-membership business organisations, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Crafts.
- 12 Nov 2004
Slovenia: European Works Councils - law and practice<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the implementation into Slovenian law of the EU Directive on European Works Councils (EWCs), and the country's experience of EWCs, as of autumn 2004.
- 10 Nov 2004
Slovenia: Union opposes employer proposal to increase working time<#PDF_LINK>In November 2004, the Metal and Electro Industries Trade Union of Slovenia (SKEI) strongly opposed a proposal made by some employers to change current legislation so as to allow employers to increase their employees' working time by 120 hours a year, half of it unpaid. SKEI sees the proposal - which refers to recent agreements in Germany - as humiliatingfor workers, and argues that it will neither create nor preserve jobs.
- 04 Nov 2004
Slovenia: Journalists strike over collective agreement<#PDF_LINK>Journalists in Slovenia went on strike in early October 2004 in a dispute over renewal of their national collective agreement, with the Union of Slovenian Journalists (SNS) demanding talks with employers over changes to the agreement, including higher pay scales. The strike was suspended after three days. While the employers did not accept all the union's demands, negotiations have started.
- 05 Oct 2004
Slovenia: Journalists' union calls nationwide strike<#PDF_LINK>The Union of Slovenian Journalists (SNS) has called a national strike by its members, beginning on 3 October 2004, the day of Slovenia's general election. The union's main demand is immediate negotiations on the renewal of the national collective agreement for journalists.
- 13 Sep 2004
Slovenia: Thematic feature - industrial relations and undeclared work<#PDF_LINK>This article gives a brief overview of the industrial relations aspects of undeclared work in Slovenia, as of June 2004. It looks at: the nature and extent of undeclared work; the regulatory framework; the role, activities and views of the social partners; and partnerships between social partners and public authorities to tackle undeclared work.
- 01 Sep 2004
Slovenia: Discrimination against women highlighted<#PDF_LINK>The employment rate of women in Slovenia is higher than the EU 15 average, and their overall labour market position seems relatively favourable, while equal opportunities legislation has recently been strengthened. However, according to the Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (ZSSS) and the Equal Opportunities Office (UEM), in practice, women still face discrimination at work and the law is not always implemented. For example, it is reported that employers often treat women in a discriminatory way because they have children or are pregnant. There is also currently a lack of data on discrimination and other equality-related issues. This article looks at the situation in summer 2004.
- 06 Aug 2004
Slovenia: Gender equality legislation examined<#PDF_LINK>Slovenia's Law on Labour Relations, which came in force on 1 January 2003, introduced a number of new provisions on equal opportunities and equal treatment for women and men, partly in preparation for EU accession. This feature examines the main gender equality provisions of this law and looks at the evidence on its implementation, as at summer 2004.
- 22 Jul 2004
Slovenia: Thematic feature - individual labour/employment disputes and the courts<#PDF_LINK>This article examines how individual labour/employment disputes are handled through the courts in Slovenia, as at March 2004.
- 08 Jul 2004
Slovenia: Constitution changed on disability and pension rights<#PDF_LINK>In June 2004, the Slovene parliament approved changes to three Articles of the Constitution. These include new provisions to ensure equal rights for people with disabilities and make pensions a constitutional right.
- 06 Jul 2004
Slovenia: Doctors and dentists hold protest strike<#PDF_LINK>In late May 2004, the Trade Union of Doctors and Dentists of Slovenia (FIDES) organised a one-hour warning strike to support demands over the regulation of its members' working time. The union subsequently gained a number of concessions from the Ministry of Health. This was the latest development in FIDES's long-standing dissatisfaction with doctors' and dentists' workload and pay, and with the healthcare system as a whole.
- 06 Jul 2004
Slovenia: Sectoral bargaining makes progress<#PDF_LINK>Following a lengthy period of deadlock and dispute, in May-June 2004 progress has finally been made in the negotiation of new sectoral collective agreements in Slovenia. A pay deal has been agreed in the important metalworking and electrical industry, as well as in other sectors such as banking, while agreement seems near in chemicals and agriculture/food.
- 22 Jun 2004
Slovenia: 2003 Annual Review for Slovenia<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2003's main developments in industrial relations in Slovenia.
- 10 Jun 2004
Slovenia: Minimum wage under debate<#PDF_LINK>Slovenia has had a form of statutory minimum wage since 1995, with tripartite agreements on increases in the minimum wage subsequently implemented by law. The system has been criticised, as the minimum wage has become a central reference point for the whole pay structure, with tripartite negotiations largely taking the place of genuine pay bargaining between employers and trade unions. Furthermore, the statutory minimum wage is now higher than the first three or four lowest pay rates set out in sectoral collective agreements. This article examines the development of minimum wages, the perceived problems with the system, and attempts to address these issues in 2004.
- 10 Jun 2004
Slovenia: Tripartite private sector pay policy agreement concluded for 2004-5<#PDF_LINK>In April 2004, the Slovenian government and social partners signed a private sector pay policy agreement covering 2004-5, which is due to be enacted by legislation. The deal provides for pay rises of 3.2% in 2004 and 2.7% in 2005, linked to forecast increases in consumer prices, while a minimum cash increase will provide a boost for those on low wages.
- 11 May 2004
Slovenia: New pay policy agreement for private sector expected soon<#PDF_LINK>In April 2004, all Slovenian employers' organisations and ZSSS, the country's largest trade union confederation, expressed their approval of a draft tripartite agreement on pay policy for the private sector, covering 2004-5. However, smaller union confederations are not satisfied with the proposed agreement and will either not sign it or seek further negotiations. The government is still assessing the macroeconomic consequences of the agreement.
- 04 May 2004
Slovenia: Government proposes tax changes to ease bargaining deadlock<#PDF_LINK>In spring 2004, negotiations over new sectoral pay agreements are deadlocked in Slovenia, with trade unions taking industrial action in support of demands for increased wages for the lowest-paid workers. The government has attempted to ease the situation by offering (in addition to raising the level of general income tax relief) to increase the monthly pay threshold above which employers have to pay a special payroll tax, the tax on paid-out pay, on their employees' wages. This tax cut for employers should make it possible for them to increase employees' starting take-home pay. However, the government has made this offer to the social partners conditional on them concluding a new private sector pay policy agreement, including adjustment of pay to inflation.
- 08 Apr 2004
Slovenia: Strikes over 1998-2002 examined<#PDF_LINK>There are no reliable official data on strikes in Slovenia, and the main source of information is the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (ZSSS) which produces figures on strikes organised in individual companies by its sectoral member unions. This article examines the ZSSS data for 1998-2002, which indicate that strike activity has been decreasing
- 08 Apr 2004
Slovenia: Trade unions continue pressure for new sectoral pay agreements<#PDF_LINK>Following a warning strike in February 2004, in March and April Slovene trade unions continued to place pressure on employers' organisations to open serious negotiations over the revision of the pay terms of sectoral collective agreements. However, employers and the government first want to see a new overall pay policy agreement to cap the increases in subsequent sectoral agreements, and thus curb inflation and labour costs.
- 01 Apr 2004
Slovenia: Controversy over closure of Tobačna cigarette factory<#PDF_LINK>In late January 2004, it was announced that the Tobačna cigarette-manufacturing plant in Slovenia would be closed, with the loss of 260 jobs, as part of European restructuring exercise by its owner, the UK-based Imperial Tobacco. The announcement led to a major controversy over whether Slovenian legislation requiring employee information and consultation over closures and redundancies had been complied with.
- 29 Mar 2004
Slovenia: Seven unions hold general warning strike in industry<#PDF_LINK>Almost 120,000 workers took part in a one-hour general warning strike called in Slovenia on 25 February 2004 by seven industrial sector trade unions affiliated to the Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (ZSSS). The unions are demanding an immediate start to negotiations over the revision of the collective agreements in individual sectors, resulting in significant pay increases. Employers claims that wage rises would increase operating costs and lead to job losses, an argument rejected by the unions.
- 04 Feb 2004
Slovenia: Collective agreement register and archive proposed<#PDF_LINK>In 2003, a project under the EU's PHARE programme, aimed at improving social dialogue in Slovenia, recommended the establishment of a state register and archive of collective agreements. The idea is that this would enable a much clear picture to be obtained of the situation and development of collective bargaining, with a variety of benefits ensuing.
- 27 Jan 2004
Slovenia: Social partners support entry to ERM 2 at end of 2004<#PDF_LINK>In November 2003, the Slovenian government adopted a programme aimed at the country's entry into the EU's Exchange Rate Mechanism 2 (ERM 2) at the end of 2004, and the subsequent introduction of the euro single currency, possibly in 2007. All the social partners support this move. However, ERM 2 and euro-zone entry will mean changes to current pay and social security benefit indexation systems, and there is considerable debate about how to protect poor people low-wage workers, with a forthcoming tax reform proving controversial.
- 06 Jan 2004
Slovenia: Board-level employee participation examined<#PDF_LINK>Since 1993, Slovenia has had legislation in place on worker representation on the supervisory and management boards of companies. Notably, in larger joint stock companies, workers' representatives may make up between a third and half of the members of the supervisory board. However, it appears that, after 10 years of existence, the relevant legislation is far from being fully implemented.