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Latvia

Background information on industrial relations in Latvia

• 24 Apr 2012
  Latvia: Latvia: Employment and Industrial Relations in the Hotels and Restaurants

  Hotels and Restaurant sector is not large, nevertheless it is seen as perspective development sector in connection with tourism development. Before crisis in 2008, the sector showed growth trends in number of undertakings, turnover and also employment. 2009 brought sharp decline in all mentioned aspects because tourism reduced and taxes increased. In 2011, the performance improved. One trade union and three employers’ organisations define themselves as social partner organisations, however neither of them is active in collective bargaining. The sector is dominated by small undertakings. This explains why collective bargaining is absent in the sector. Collective agreements do not exist.

• 05 Apr 2012
  Latvia: Unrest in the education and health care sectors

  The Latvian health and education ministries have provoked trade union protests after proposing fundamental reforms to their sectors. The Minister for Education proposed several changes, among them lengthening the school year, and the Minister for Health has proposed that only tax payers should have access to some state-financed health care services. The protesters were opposed to the hasty proposals and the financial stress created by an enduring austerity regime.

• 07 Mar 2012
  Latvia: Latvia: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the sea fisheries sector

  The fisheries sector in Latvia, of which 99% is marine, has declined dramatically since 1990. In the 19 years to 2009 the number of people employed in the sector fell by a factor of 14.5. Consequently social dialogue in the sector has also lost ground. In beginning of 1990s two trade unions represented the sector. However, in 2002 one of them ceased to exist and, in 2005, the other was absorbed by larger union. Employers are represented by an association which consults with the government but it does not recognise itself as employer’s organisation in meaning of the law.

• 03 Feb 2012
  Latvia: Welfare benefits are replacing wages

  As a result of the economic crisis, the importance of welfare benefits in Latvia has increased. In addition to the guaranteed minimum income benefit and housing benefit received by low-income families, unemployed people have access to various other types of generous benefits and help from mutual assistance programmes. In contrast, salaries have decreased or failed to mirror the rise in inflation. As a result, dependence on welfare benefits has risen sharply.

• 09 Jan 2012
  Latvia: Concern over rise in number of service contracts

  Latvian firms are increasingly replacing employment contracts with ones not bound by labour legislation, the State Labour Inspectorate has reported. These more flexible contracts, such as service contracts or author contracts, can have advantages both for company management and for employees, but only labour legislation guarantees safe working conditions, fair wages, employee representation and protection. It also creates the legal basis for social dialogue.