Lithuania
Background information on industrial relations in Lithuania
- 02 Dec 2009
Lithuania: Unions organise protest actions against cuts in public sector payOn 1 October 2009, four sectoral trade unions and the Pensioners’ Party simultaneously launched five protest actions near the parliament and four government ministries. The protests arose due to dissatisfaction with current government policy seeking to match budget revenue with expenditure, which will result in significant salary cuts for public sector employees and a possible reduction in social welfare benefits.
- 05 Oct 2009
Lithuania: Membership of National tripartite council boostedThe Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania, the main national-level social dialogue institution in the country, was established in 1995. By decision of the social partners, the number of its members has increased from 15 to 21 persons in 2009 by including new representatives of employer and employee organisations and of ministries. This expansion is expected to strengthen the council and add more competencies in making decisions on social and economic issues.
- 25 Sep 2009
Lithuania: Lack of consensus over national agreement on economic crisisIn light of the current economic crisis, Lithuania’s government and social partner organisations, as well as bodies representing the interests of retired people, are negotiating the possibility of signing a national agreement. Although a draft version of the national agreement has been debated several times, the parties have failed to reach consensus on many of the issues that have arisen. Therefore, it is still unclear when and if a national agreement will be signed.
- 22 Sep 2009
Lithuania: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Steel industry – LithuaniaThe 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 Lithuania. 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
Lithuania: Lithuania – Greening the European economy: responses and initiatives by Member States and social partnersUnder the conditions of extremely difficult economic recession, greening of the economy initiatives are left undervalued and insufficiently promoted in Lithuania. Though, in general, social partners find the green agenda to be positive, they have not clearly declared this point of view in public, i.e., social partners have not developed or implemented any strategies, positions and actions in this area. The anti-crisis Programme, as developed by the LRV and approved in the beginning of 2009, provides inter alia for the extension of energy efficiency of buildings, aiming not only at energy saving but also at maintaining jobs in the construction sector. In the environment of the deepening economic crisis, increasing attention is being paid to natural farming: farmers’ markets are being rapidly establishing in Lithuania in order to promote the use of natural agricultural produce, on one hand, and to maintain jobs in the agricultural sector, on the other hand.
- 15 Sep 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: Flexicurity and industrial relationsThough the principle of flexicurity has been gradually implemented in Lithuania, the role of social partners and industrial relations has remained inadequate. This is primary due to a very feeble role of the social dialogue in the country on the whole; on the other hand, the social partners have not fully realised the necessity and unavoidability of labour market flexibilisation in Lithuania.
- 12 Aug 2009
Lithuania: Trade union hunger strike averts public sector pay cutThe effects of the global economic crisis are increasingly being felt in Lithuania. To cope with its impact, the government announced that it was going to reduce the basic monthly salary of public sector employees to help lessen state budget expenditure. Dissatisfied with such a decision, the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation initiated a hunger strike initiative, which was stopped a day later when the government promised to find other ways of reducing state spending.
- 28 Jul 2009
Lithuania: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Tanning and leather sector – LithuaniaThe 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 Lithuania. 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.
- 02 Jul 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: Multinational companies and collective bargainingIn Lithuania, there is no definite information about the number of MNCs operating in the country or about the specific features of collective bargaining in multinational companies. Accordingly, the contents of this report are based on indirect statistical sources and interviews with social partners representing main Lithuanian sectors with operating MNCs and collective bargaining. The collected material demonstrates that the collective bargaining coverage and quality in MNCs are better as compared to national companies.
- 15 Jun 2009
Lithuania: Social partners support draft bill to liberalise industrial relationsAfter lengthy discussions, social partners at the Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania, the national level social dialogue institution, supported a draft law amending and supplementing 19 articles of the Labour Code. The changes seek to liberalise industrial relations and allow for consensus on a number of more flexible provisions in collective agreements, including in relation to employment contracts and severance pay.
- 21 May 2009
Lithuania: Court dismisses case against trade union leadersLeaders of three national trade union organisations were charged with administrative violations after a protest action organised by them on 16 January 2009 ended in riots and civil unrest. However, the trade union leaders denied such charges and requested the court to discontinue administrative proceedings against them. On 14 April, the Second District Court of the City of Vilnius ruled in favour of the trade union leaders and cleared them of all charges.
- 11 May 2009
Lithuania: Education trade unions join to form new federationTrade unions representing education workers amalgamated in February 2009 to form the Lithuanian Federation of Education and Science Workers’ Trade Unions. However, the two unions involved have retained their autonomy. The new federation intends to ensure better protection for its members and stronger representation of the common interests of teachers and lecturers. It aims to develop more constructive dialogue with employers and the government.
- 06 May 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations – Personal services sectorThe 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 personal services sector in Lithuania. 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.
- 28 Apr 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: Wage flexibility and collective bargainingWhere variable pay schemes are applied in Lithuanian companies, the variable portion of wages may range from 10% to 40% of total pay. Multi-employer bargaining and collective agreements are absent in all sectors under consideration. While trade unions and enterprise level collective bargaining are quite often phenomena in manufacturing companies, pay systems in the retail banking sector are established exclusively upon management decision.
- 28 Apr 2009
Lithuania: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Hospitals – LithuaniaThe 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 Lithuania. 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.
- 14 Apr 2009
Lithuania: Agreement reached on instruments to strengthen social dialogueAfter protest action in January 2009, national trade unions and authorities continued the debate on insufficient consultations with the social partners in adopting new legislation and taking decisions that affect the whole economy. Aiming to improve collaboration between the government and social partners, the parties agreed to new positions for trade union representatives at the government and parliament, and discussed other ways to strengthen social dialogue.
- 31 Mar 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: Wage formationInformation on the wage formation process in Lithuania is rather scarce. While wages in the public sector are regulated by national law, wages in the private sector are usually set individually between the employer and the employee. In general, collective bargaining processes are poorly developed. Recent rapid economic growth accompanied by labour shortages as a result of labour migration contributed to accelerated wage increases both in the private and the public sector. In line with the general pay trend, the minimum wage has been increased in recent years. However, its level still remains insufficient and accounts for less than 40% of the average wage.
- 24 Mar 2009
Lithuania: Public sector unions oppose budget cut proposalsWith a view to mitigating the consequences of the economic and financial crisis for the Lithuanian economy, the new cabinet of ministers, which came into office in December 2008, approved a decision to reduce the wage fund for the whole public sector. Trade unions representing public sector employees are opposed to this proposal. They have thus initiated negotiations with the Lithuanian government, threatening protest actions unless their opinion is taken into consideration.
- 11 Mar 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania : Eiro annual review – 2007Continuing rapid growth of the Lithuanian economy and accompanying rocketing prices as well as shortage of labour force notably influenced industrial relations, too: relations among social partners were changing as was their role in public life; various social movements have become more active.
- 09 Mar 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: The impact of the information and consultation DirectiveLithuanian legislation on information and consultation of employees was partly shaped by EU Directive 2002/14/EC and was amended in 2005 with the aim of conforming more fully with the Directive. Further amendments are pending. Information and consultation requires the presence in an enterprise of a trade union or, in the absence of a union, a works council. However, such employee representative structures do not exist in most enterprise, making information and consultation impossible.
- 02 Mar 2009
Lithuania: Trade unions organise national protest to demand action on economic crisisIn mid January 2009, three national trade union organisations in Lithuania called on their members to participate in national protest action. The protesters submitted their demands to the government and parliament to ensure that social and economic policies carried out during the current period of recession are geared towards the most disadvantaged groups of the population. A key trade union concern is to address these challenging issues through social dialogue.
- 06 Feb 2009
Lithuania: Lithuania: Collective bargaining and continuous vocational trainingIn Lithuania, CVT includes formal and non-formal vocational training. Participation of the social partners in the devising and governance of the CVT system are provided for in legislation governing vocational training. Collective bargaining on CVT is actually found to take place on enterprise level only. Enterprise-level collective agreements usually contain a chapter or at least a paragraph on the CVT of employees.
- 07 Jan 2009
Lithuania: Tripartite Council plans expansion aimed at wider representationIn September 2008, the Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania (LRTT) – which brings together representatives of the government, trade unions and employers to discuss social, economic and labour issues – agreed plans to expand. Additional unions, employer organisations and government ministries will be included and non-governmental organisations will be involved in the LRTT’s work. A final decision on the LRTT’s expansion is due by the end of 2008.
- 07 Jan 2009
Lithuania: Socially responsible enterprises honoured in awards ceremonyIn 2008, nine companies won Lithuanian National Responsible Business Awards under a new initiative to honour companies that contribute most to social welfare and responsibility. The awards are in three categories - Socially Responsible Enterprise, Workplace of the Year and Partner of the Year. Representatives of trade union and employer organisations were involved in the selection of the winning companies.