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Bulgaria

Background information on industrial relations in Bulgaria

• 17 Dec 2009
  Bulgaria: Strike action resolved through agreements

  During September and October 2009, social tension has increased in two companies in Bulgaria’s public and private sectors. In the state-owned National Railway Infrastructure Company and in the private paper and paper products enterprise Kostenetz AD, workers have not received their wages since August 2009. In light of this, the trade unions began to prepare for strike action, but negotiations with the employers ended successfully and strike agreements were signed.

• 02 Dec 2009
  Bulgaria: ESC conference debates EU anti-crisis policies

  In early October 2009, the joint conference of the Economic and Social Council of Bulgaria and the European Economic and Social Committee was held in Sofia. More than 170 participants representing the parliament, the government, state authorities, the academic sphere, employers, employees and civil society organisations discussed the current economic and financial crisis and its consequences for labour markets in Europe.

• 02 Dec 2009
  Bulgaria: Cooperation agreement signed between trade unions and labour inspectorate

  On 7 October 2009, on the occasion of the World Day for Decent Work, representatives of the trade union confederations, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the General Labour Inspectorate (GLI-EA) discussed at a meeting the new realities posed by the economic crisis. In light of a growing informal economy and continuing violations of labour law, the trade unions and GLI-EA signed a cooperation agreement seeking to better protect, enhance and enforce workers’ rights.

• 05 Oct 2009
  Bulgaria: Impact of economic crisis on social partners and social dialogue

  Bulgaria’s industrial relations have been negatively affected by the economic crisis due to a number of problems regarding its economic structures. Among them are the large debts being faced by some companies, along with incomplete restructuring in certain sectors of activity, as well as the country’s significant dependency on external resources for economic growth. Up until now, governments have failed to involve the social partners effectively in developing anti-crisis measures.

• 25 Sep 2009
  Bulgaria: Renewed role for National Council for Tripartite Cooperation

  In August 2009, just a week after the formation of the new government, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy initiated meetings with the social partners through the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation. As priority areas for action to tackle the economic crisis, the social partners reflected on ways to strengthen and preserve employment, to develop and maintain the financial stability of Bulgaria’s social security systems and to seek more effective use of public funds.

• 22 Sep 2009
  Bulgaria: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Steel industry – Bulgaria

  The aim of this representativeness study is to identify the respective national and supranational actors (i.e. trade unions and employer organisations) in the field of industrial relations in the steel industry in Bulgaria. In order to determine their relative importance in the sector’s industrial relations, this study will, in particular, focus on their representational quality as well as on their role in collective bargaining.

• 18 Sep 2009
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria – Greening the European Economy: responses and initiatives by Member States and social partners

  Bulgaria is committed to protecting the environment and to developing a sustainable, low-carbon economy. The environmental policy of the country is highly impacted by the EU integration and the need to harmonise its legislation with the EU environmental directives. However, the policy debates on climate change and policies towards a greening of the economy are still very much in their initial stages and despite a lot of strategic documents lack a comprehensive approach. While some NGOs are very active in the field there is a need for more coordinated and pro-active actions of the social partners. More of the initiatives have been implemented in recent years with the support of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund.

• 15 Sep 2009
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria: Flexicurity and industrial relations

  The highly centralised and regulated Bulgarian labour market with full employment underwent profound changes since the beginning of transition. More than one third of the jobs have been lost due to restructuring. The main policies were directed to the establishment of new legislative and institutional framework of labour and industrial relations in the completely different environment. While the concept of flexicurity is something new for Bulgaria, the flexibility-security debate was launched already in the first years of transition. The debate is further accelerated in line with the EU debates on EC Green Paper on modernising labour law and on flexicurity.

• 28 Jul 2009
  Bulgaria: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Tanning and leather sector – Bulgaria

  The aim of this representativeness study is to identify the respective national and supranational actors (i.e. trade unions and employer organisations) in the field of industrial relations in the tanning and leather sector in Bulgaria. In order to determine their relative importance in the sector’s industrial relations, this study will, in particular, focus on their representational quality as well as on their role in collective bargaining.

• 27 Jul 2009
  Bulgaria: Corporate social responsibility during economic crisis

  In June 2009, a regional conference on ‘Corporate social responsibility in times of crisis’ was held in Bulgaria. Participants included the social partners, representatives of business and governments, as well as academics and stakeholders from Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, Croatia and Ukraine. Representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament were also present to discuss the concept and practical initiatives of corporate social responsibility.

• 27 Jul 2009
  Bulgaria: Anti-poverty measures urgent says Economic and Social Council

  In a special statement adopted in May 2009, the Economic and Social Council (ESC) presented its position on strategic problems and the urgent need for measures to tackle poverty and social exclusion. The measures are considered particularly critical due to the impact of the economic crisis on people facing poverty. Such measures are also timely in light of the preparations for the European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion in 2010.

• 21 Jul 2009
  Bulgaria: Trade union and civil protest rally over government response to economic crisis

  In June 2009, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria called a national protest over the government’s response to the economic crisis. Workers from 34 sectoral trade union organisations and representatives of various non-governmental organisations took part. They called for urgent measures to deal with the crisis, maintain jobs and protect incomes, as well as the withdrawal of the government pay freeze in education, health care and the state administration.

• 06 Jul 2009
  Bulgaria: Women adversely affected by economic crisis

  The Women’s Committee of the Pan-European Regional Council, with the support of the International Labour Organziation, organised a regional workshop on the theme of ‘Women in the economic crisis and the informalisation of the economy’ in Sofia in May 2009. The workshop was attended by some 60 participants, comprising representatives from Bulgarian trade unions, the government, employer organisations, non-governmental organisations and other neighbouring countries.

• 02 Jul 2009
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria: Multinational companies and collective bargaining

  The main role of the MNC-s subsidiaries in Bulgaria is concerned to the implementation of innovations in technologies and work organisation and to the new human resource management policies and practices. In most of the MNC-s subsidiaries the social dialogue and industrial relations are better, comparing to the average in the country. In the last decade some trends of more contradictions in industrial relations appeared and the collective bargaining process was challenged with lots of difficulties. Also in the new subsidiaries employers usually resist to the organising of workers and present much strong views in the collective bargaining process

• 15 Jun 2009
  Bulgaria: Social partners discuss national flexicurity pathway

  On 12 May 2009, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy organised a national conference entitled ‘Implementing the national pathway of flexicurity’. The conference is part of a series of measures undertaken by the government and social partners to better integrate the flexicurity approach into national policies. The participants discussed the draft document on the issue, highlighting their differing positions on flexicurity.

• 05 Jun 2009
  Bulgaria: Paper factory offers compensation package under union pressure

  A decision was taken on 24 February 2009 at a meeting of the board of directors of the Mondi paper manufacturing group to temporarily close the company’s site at Stamboliiski at the end of May. The managing director in Bulgaria explained that the temporary closure did not mean that the factory will necessarily re-open in the future; it is possible that it might be closed down permanently, although it could start operating again under certain conditions.

• 01 Jun 2009
  Bulgaria: Controversy over draft bill on temporary agency work

  On 16 April 2009, the government adopted a draft bill on amendments to the Labour Code regarding temporary agency work, which aimed to transpose Directive 2008/104/ЕC. The new legislation defines rules on employment conditions of temporary agency workers. While the employers supported the draft bill in principle, the trade unions strongly opposed it. In particular, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria urged the government to withdraw the draft bill.

• 21 May 2009
  Bulgaria: Police use internet forum to organise new trade union

  Since December 2008, police officers have been lobbying for a pay rise and an improvement in their working conditions. Intensive discussions have been held on an internet forum on the need to establish a new trade union to protect the labour interests of members of the police force. The new Trade Union Federation of Employees in the Ministry of Interior was set up on 15 February 2009 in the city of Stara Zagora.

• 28 Apr 2009
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria: Wage flexibility and collective bargaining

  Variable pay schemes (VPS) in Bulgaria are partly regulated by collective bargaining. In manufacturing there are provisions for VPS in the sector agreements as well in supplementary agreements. In chemistry, pharmaceutics and cosmetics in the last years there has been only single –employer bargaining and there are provisions for VPS in the company agreements. Provisions for VPS are expected to evolve in single-employer agreements for retail banks.

• 28 Apr 2009
  Bulgaria: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Hospitals – Bulgaria

  The aim of this representativeness study is to identify the respective national and supranational actors (i.e. trade unions and employer organisations) in the field of industrial relations in the hospital sector in Bulgaria. In order to determine their relative importance in the sector’s industrial relations, this study will, in particular, focus on their representational quality as well as on their role in collective bargaining.

• 31 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: BULGARIA: Wage formation

  The system of wage formation in Bulgaria has been determined by various factors, collective bargaining being one of them. Although there has been a growth of average wages of 84% in the period 2003-2008, dissatisfaction with wage levels remains in some sectors, like education and health care. This current contribution will further analyse the situation in the IT sector, where collective bargaining is of importance for a limited number of companies only.

• 24 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Social partners support new framework for health and safety at work

  In late 2008, the Bulgarian government approved the first National Programme for Health and Safety for 2009. The programme aims to implement the National Health and Safety at Work Strategy 2008–2013, which focuses on improving the quality of prevention policies and control towards risk preventive health and safety. It targets an 8% reduction in workplace accidents. The new framework relies on the shared responsibility of all stakeholders and wider social partner involvement.

• 24 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Progress on cross-national trade union cooperation

  In February 2009, in Athens, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria and the Greek General Confederation of Labour signed an agreement for cooperation aimed at better representation of trade union rights. Recognising the need to strengthen international trade union cooperation, both confederations agreed to combine their efforts and activities in developing industrial relations systems in harmonisation with European policies and good practices.

• 24 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Mixed reaction to new labour law amendments

  In late 2008, a number of important changes were made to the Bulgarian labour legislation, which came into effect on 1 January 2009. These include new provisions for the registration of collective agreements and enlarged scope of the employer’s obligations in the employment relationship, as well as with regard to training and health and safety. Significant amendments relate to maternity leave and stricter controls on compliance with the labour law.

• 24 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Employment plan brings Bulgarian labour market closer to EU model

  The priorities of the 2009 national action plan for employment are to ensure stable employment through increasing the qualifications and adaptability of the labour force, to eliminate long-term unemployment and encourage mobility, to eradicate poverty and marginalisation, and to increase flexibility and security through the development of employment relations. These aims will enable the effective integration of the Bulgarian labour market into the European Community.

• 24 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Police officers protest for better pay and conditions

  Police officers in Bulgaria are threatening further protest action in March 2009 if negotiations fail with the Ministry of Interior over pay increases, annual bonuses and better work clothes. They have held several meetings since December 2008 and staged protests outside the ministry, receiving support from firefighters and their union. In addition, police officers are dissatisfied with the efforts of the National Police Union and have started procedures to set up a new union.

• 16 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Wage increase agreed in metalworking despite economic crisis

  In January 2009, the social partners in the metalworking sector concluded a new collective agreement for 2009–2010. The sector has been one of the hardest hit by the global economic and regional gas crises. However, the social partners are willing to increase production and employment in the sector, while also guaranteeing and respecting workers’ rights. They negotiated a minimum wage increase, additional compensations if inflation reaches more than 8% and a range of social benefits.

• 09 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: The impact of the information and consultation directive on industrial relations — Bulgaria

  The transposition into Bulgarian legislation of the Directive’s provisions on information and consultation has improved the situation in undertakings regarding information and consultation rights of workers. The view is that this is another tool to enable interaction to take place between workers/employees and employers to the common benefit and to the prosperity of the enterprise. The new rules govening information and consultation move the rights of protections for Bulgarian workers closer to those of workers elsewhere in the EU.

• 02 Mar 2009
  Bulgaria: Increase in information and consultation in multinational firms

  In January 2009, the Institute for Social and Trade Union Research published the results of a survey conducted in multinational companies with subsidiaries in Bulgaria. The survey examines the main trends of industrial relations and working conditions in these companies, and provides an insight into developments with regard to information and consultation practices. These worker rights are slowly being adopted in Bulgarian companies at national and European level.

• 23 Feb 2009
  Bulgaria: More action needed to reach targets of lifelong learning strategy

  The ‘Awareness raising of lifelong learning in Bulgaria’ project was concluded at a December 2008 conference organised by the Ministry of Education and Science, the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training, and the social partners. The Minister of Labour and Social Policy presented the project results, as well as the priorities and targets of the National strategy for lifelong learning 2008–2013.

• 13 Feb 2009
  Bulgaria: Consensus among social partners on anti-crisis measures

  Bulgaria’s government presented a package of proposed anti-crisis measures at a meeting held in December 2008 with representatives of the social partners, public organisations and the media. The social partners expressed similar positions with regard to labour market measures. In particular, they agreed on the importance of concentrating resources and efforts mainly on unemployment prevention and preserving existing employment, rather than on compensatory measures.

• 12 Feb 2009
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria: Collective bargaining and continuous vocational training in Europe

  Bulgarian policies on enhancing economic competitiveness, labour force employability and social inclusion were highly influenced by EU accession. It has also been reflected through the reform of CVT aiming at increased labour force participation and the development of adaptable labour force with competences and skills that match the demands of the common European labour market. The participation of social partners in the CVT system development is of great importance. Nevertheless, the practice in Bulgaria shows that CVT still is not a collective bargaining priority and involvement of social partners at different levels is uneven.

• 13 Jan 2009
  Bulgaria: Unions sign redundancy agreement at Stomana Industry

  In mid-November 2008, Stomana Industry, the second-largest steel mill in Bulgaria and a part of the Greek Sidenor Group, announced plans to cut output by around a third and to make some 300 staff redundant. The company’s decision is due to a decline in local customer demand and a reduction in exports caused by the global financial crisis. On 25 November, the company trade unions affiliated to the union confederations Podkrepa CL and CITUB signed an agreement on the social package for the workers dismissed.

• 07 Jan 2009
  Bulgaria: Social partners critical of anti-crisis measures in 2009 budget

  At its session on 31 October 2008, the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation discussed the draft 2009 national Budget. Before this, the Council of the ruling coalition adopted a package of anti-crisis measures to fight the impact of the world financial crisis and this has reflected on the basic parameters of the Budget. Both employers and trade union representatives are dissatisfied with the general framework of the Budget.

• 07 Jan 2009
  Bulgaria: Social partners adopt a united approach to achieving gender equality

  On 19 November 2008, the social partners discussed the National Strategy for Gender Equality. The strategy envisages more targeted measures and actions against inequality. It provides opportunities to revise legislation and regulations, in particular those that exert an important influence on the situation or status of men and women from poor or vulnerable groups.