Karnite, Raita

2004 saw two changes of government. In April, a coalition led by Prime Minister Einārs Repše of the centrist New Era party (Partija Jaunais Laiks, JL) stepped down, to be replaced by a coalition led by Indulis Emsis of the Green and Farmers Union (Zalo un Zemnieku savienība, ZZS). In December this government was replaced by a coalition headed by Aigars Kalvītis of the People’s Party (Tautas partija, TP) and also involving JL, the centre-right Latvia First Party (Latvijas Pirmā Partija, LPP) and ZZS. The end of the year saw preparations for municipal elections planned for March 2005.

Although wages are very low in Latvia and labour rights widely seen as being neglected, strikes have been rare until now. However, on several occasions in recent years, employees - notably teachers and healthcare workers - have managed to obtain at least partial satisfaction of their demands through strikes, and strikes are being more and more often considered as a means of resolving labour conflicts.

Labour relations are regulated by the Satversme (Constitution) of the Republic of Latvia, international laws binding on Latvia, the Labour Law and other legislative acts, as well as collective agreements and internal regulations. The Labour Law and other legislative acts that stipulate legal labour relations are binding on all employers and employees when their mutual relations are established under the employment contract.

On November 2 2004 the Swedish Building Workers’ Union (Svenska Byggnadsarbetareförbundet) started a boycott against the Latvian construction firm Laval&Partneri Baltic Bygg, which had undertaken to build a school near Waxholm, not far from Stockholm (LV0501101F [1]). Laval&Partneri Baltic Bygg is a subsidiary of the Latvian firm Laval&Partneri, which was established to fulfill contracts in Sweden but was subsequently restructured as an independent company. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/dispute-over-pay-of-latvian-building-workers-in-sweden

The unfair attitude towards the police officers in the field of social guarantees came to light when in 2004 several police officers filed complaints with the Republic of Latvia Ministry of Interior on failure to observe their social rights (LV0412101N [1]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/police-officers-seek-entitlement-to-benefits

Reform of the Latvian healthcare system began in the second half of the 1990s but has not been completed yet. Health insurance principles were introduced into system in 1997, but it has not yet functioned as a truly insurance-based system. The organisation of the healthcare system and its funding procedures has been changed several times, but the effectiveness of these steps has always been hampered by an overall lack of funding. Since doctors’ wages throughout the system are low, the system's weak points have reportedly been exploited in many ways to maximise the benefits obtained by individual doctors, and this has distorted its effectiveness as a whole. Illegal income sources and 'under the table' payments have been rife in the sector. Delays in reforming healthcare have, according to experts, hindered the satisfactory development of the sector and led to increasing dissatisfaction by both patients and those working in the field. Successive governments have tried to address objections from healthcare workers about low pay rates with promises that reforms will soon be completed and healthcare funding will be improved, but these have not been followed by action.

On February 22 the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (Latvijas Brīvo Arodbiedrību savienība, LBAS) organized a discussion on the subject /Movements of the Latvian workforce in the European Union - problems and solutions/, involving representatives from unions, employers and state institutions. The discussion was prompted by the fact that there has been an increase in the number of Latvian workers traveling abroad since Latvia joined the European Union. Many Latvian abroad are working in simple jobs and are therefore losing their professional skills, meaning that state resources that have gone into training these people are going to waste. Some are working illegally.

A Latvian-based construction firm, Laval & Partneri, recently won a public tender in Sweden through an open competition. The company obtained a contact to build a school building in Vaxholm, not far from Stockholm, and to participate in the construction of housing in Djursholm. The construction work started in late 2004, and 14 Latvian building workers are involved.

The State Civil Service Law distinguishes between 'general' and 'specialised' state civil service officials (LV0409104F [1]). Specialised state civil service officials are defined as people performing the functions of officials in: the Diplomatic and Consular Service; the State Revenue Service (Valsts Ieņēmumu dienests, VID); the State Police (Valsts Policija); the Security Police (Drošības policija); the Ministry of Interior Information Technologies and Communications Centre (Iekšlietu ministrijas Informācijas un sakaru departaments); the State Border Guard (Valsts Robežsardze); the State Firefighting and Rescue Service (Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests, VUGD); the Prison Administration (Ieslodzījumu vietu pārvalde, IeVP); and the State Forensic Expertise Bureau (Valsts tiesu ekspertīžu birojs). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/pay-determination-in-public-institutions

A meeting was held in Riga on 19 October 2004, involving leading officials of the Trade Union Federation for People Engaged in Cultural Activities (Latvijas kultūras darbinieku arodbiedrību federācija, LKDAF) and its member trade unions representing museum workers, to discuss the issue of increasing the pay of museum specialists. A letter was drawn up and sent to: the Minister of Culture, Helēna Demakova; the chairs of all parliamentary parties; Jānis Strazdiņs, chair of the parliamentary education, culture and science committee; Gundars Bērziņs, chair of the parliamentary budget and finance committee; and Jevgenija Stalidzāne, chair of the parliamentary social and employment issues committee.