Largest trade union holds congress

The Czech Metalworkers' Federation KOVO (Odborový svaz KOVO, OS KOVO) is the Czech Republic's largest trade union, with some 200,000 members. It held its congress in June 2005, adopting a a new programme and electing a new executive board.

The Czech Metalworkers' Federation KOVO (Odborový svaz KOVO,OS KOVO) is the Czech Republic's largest trade union. Its history can be dated back to 1863, when the Czech lands were part of the Habsburg monarchy, and it continued to be active after 1918 in the independent Czechoslovak Republic. After the end of the old regime in 1989, the union renewed its independent activity. At present, OS KOVO comprises about 750 trade union organisations with a total of more than 200,000 members active in about 1,100 companies in the metalworking industry. In addition to trade union activity in this field, it actively participates in addressing issues related to public social policies, employment and the position of employees, and advocates the principles of democracy and civil tolerance. It is a member of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (Českomoravská konfederace odborových svazů, ČMKOS) and, internationally, of the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) (since November 1991) and the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) (since May 1991). T

Basic organisations created at the workplace (company) level are the most important organisational units of OS KOVO. These basic organisations are legal entities with a high level of independence. All officials in the higher organisational units of OS KOVO are elected via the representatives of the basic organisations, and the basic organisations are the main source of activity of the entire union - the main activity of the basic organisations is dealing with collective agreements, their conclusion and monitoring of their implementation. The national headquarters of the union comprises the elected officials on the executive board (namely the chair and the deputy chairs) and full-time staff of the various departments. In the regions, the union has set up units aimed at providing organisational and advisory services for the basic organisations in each region. These units have at their disposal experts in the fields of collective bargaining, economics, law and safety at work. In addition to methodological and practical assistance with collective bargaining, and in the areas of employment, safety at work etc, OS KOVO: provides to the basic organisations and their members free legal assistance, in particular in labour law disputes; secures trade union-related training for officials and members; issues publications on trade union issues; operates its own website; and is the publisher of the weekly Kovák.

On 23-25 June 2005, OS KOVO held its fourth congress took place. The congress sought to respond to the changing external and internal influences on trade union activities, including the effects of European integration and economic globalisation on the European and Czech labour market. A prominent guest at the congress was the EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimír Špidla, whose speech to the participants was favourably received. This included the statement that: 'The trade union movement is a condition for a democratic system in Europe … Some rights can be defended only collectively … The European social model, which is so often considered the Achilles heel, is in fact our strength, the source of our ability to compete.'

At the congress, it was announced that more young people had joined OS KOVO and become active members, and there were more young delegates at the congress than had been the case in previous years. The congress elected a new executive board, with Josef Středula, becoming the new chair. Mr Středula is a 37-year-old full-time trade union official, who has been involved in metalworking trade unionism since 1990 and a deputy chair of OS KOVO since it was set up in 1993. The new chair's goal is to contribute to the further development of the trade union, with an emphasis placed on communication: 'We are not trade unionists who as a matter of principle stand in a picket line and continually threaten with strikes. We are all for negotiating. In this there is an important professionalism, to achieve what is wanted by employees - a better standard of living.' His emphasis on negotiations is clear, though has also mentioned the use of means of applying pressure. In an interview with Kovák (No. 25/2005) immediately after his election, the new chair said: 'At this moment, a new Labour Code is being discussed. I believe that it will be passed in a form that corresponds to our vision, but if we see signs that it is going in the wrong direction, we are prepared to take the necessary steps, including calling for demonstrations.' Mr Středula has been a direct participant in most of the most significant trade union activities in the metalworking industry in the past 10 years, including a recent warning strike at Škoda Auto as (CZ0505101N).

The OS KOVO congress, in response to the challenges faced by unions with respect to the processes of European integration and globalisation, emphasised first and foremost the importance of collective bargaining and efforts to secure conditions for the realisation of principles of continued training with the aim of maintaining employment and the employability of union members. In addition to broader social and economic issues, the congress took a stance on the domestic political situation in the light of the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic in 2006. The leadership presented to the union's basic organisations a critical analysis of the platform of the opposition political party, Civic Democratic Party (Občanská demokratická strana, ODS), and, in cooperation with ČMKOS, offered its members an analysis of the stances of the various parties on fundamental social issues.

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