Karnite, Raita

The latest population time use survey indicates changes in the profile of time use in Latvia in 2003, compared with 1996. In 2003, all workers used a greater part of the total weekly time budget (168 hours) for personal care and sleep; however, men spent a greater part of the total time in paid work. Moreover, there was an increase in travel or commuting time. The survey also shows differences in time use between those in paid employment and others, according to sex and geographical location. Time use surveys are primarily a quality of life indicator, but they also contain useful data regarding working conditions.

/Source: On the information society in Latvia, CSB, Riga, 2006/

There are no specific policies towards *young workers*. Young workers are a constituent of a target group of policies towards better work (education, lifelong learning and career counselling policies) and better work conditions (work safety and others).

In Latvia, the employer may hire a person on the basis of a standard employment contract [1] or on the basis of a service contract, sometimes known as a ‘work task contract’. Work may also be performed according to other legal relations, for example, an authorship contract. However, the area of application for an authorship contract is rather specific and is not discussed here. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/contract-of-employment

Wages in Latvia have risen sharply since 2005, and the rate of actual wage growth is exceeding that of gross domestic product (GDP). In order to understand the reasons for wage growth, the Ministry of Welfare (Labklājības ministrija, LM [1]) commissioned the study Wages and factors influencing them (in Latvian, 3.7Mb PDF) [2]. The study was conducted in 2005–2006 by the research partnership RS Group [3], which includes the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences (Baltijas Sociālo Zinātņu institūts, BSZI [4]) and the marketing research agency Factum [5]. [1] http://www.lm.gov.lv/ [2] http://www.bszi.lv/downloads/resources/darba algas/darba-algas-un-to-ietekmejosie-faktori.pdf [3] http://www.rsgroup.lv/ [4] http://www.bszi.lv [5] http://www.factum.lv/

After a second debate, on 21 September 2006, Latvia’s parliament adopted amendments to the Labour Law. The amendments were first drafted over one year ago. Some of these provisions were adopted by parliament on 15 June 2006, but were rejected by the state President, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, who has the exclusive right to proclaim adopted laws. The reason for the rejection was the unclear formulation of the provision of Article 7 of the Labour Law on discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation [1] (*LV0608039I* [2]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/discrimination-on-the-grounds-of-sexual-orientation [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/parliament-rejects-proposal-to-ban-sexual-orientation-discrimination

In January and October 2006, the administration of the Latvian National Opera (Latvijas Nacionala Opera, LNO [1]) increased the wages of several categories of employees, including those of orchestra artists by €71 and €145. Following the increases, the average gross wage of orchestra musicians was €640 a month, compared with the average national wage at this time of around €427. [1] http://www.opera.lv/

On 4 October 2006, the Latvian government and two trade unions – the Latvian United Police Trade Union (Latvijas Apvienota policistu arodbiedriba, LAPA [1]) and the Independent Police Trade Union (Neatkarigo Policistu arodbiedriba, NPA) – signed an agreement on wage increases for police officers. LAPA was established in January 2006 to avert a crisis in the Ministry of the Interior (Iekšlietu ministrija [2]), brought about by police officers’ objections to unfair wage payments and the failure to observe legally mandated social guarantees (*LV0601101F* [3], *LV0510101N* [4]). Shortly after the founding of the new trade union, a group of dissatisfied members broke away from it and established a second police trade union, NPA. [1] http://www.policistuarodbiedriba.lv/ [2] http://www.iem.gov.lv/ [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/police-trade-union-established [4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/police-officers-picket-generates-discussion

In June 2006, the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences (Baltijas Socialo Zinatnu instituts, BSZI [1]) published results of the study Access to lifelong learning and possibilities to study in Latvia (in Latvian, 2.16Mb PDF) [2]. The study was conducted within the framework of the project ‘Development of a lifelong learning strategy’, funded by EU structural funds, as part of the national programme ‘Development and implementation of a lifelong learning strategy’. The aim of the study is to prepare the scientific basis and principal information for the development of a lifelong learning [3] strategy in Latvia. [1] http://www.bszi.lv/?category=&lang=en [2] http://www.politika.lv/index.php?f=1008 [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/lifelong-learning

Following a short break, Latvia’s national institution of social dialogue [1] – the National Tripartite Cooperation Council (Nacionalas trispusejas sadarbibas padome, NTSP) – has resumed its work. Two NTSP meetings were held in autumn 2006. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/social-dialogue