Cziria, Ludovít

For some time, trade unions have demanded changes in the legislation regulating collective bargaining. In its programme [1], the coalition government promised to increase the efficiency of social dialogue in Slovakia (*SK0609019I* [2]). With the new Act on tripartism (*SK0701019I* [3]), in November 2006, the Slovakian parliament adopted several legislative changes regulating the extension of sectoral collective agreements. These changes allow for collective agreements to be extended without the consent of the employer. However, employer representatives considered these provisions to be unconstitutional and raised objections before the constitutional court. The court has not yet delivered any decision on this matter; therefore, this controversial provision of the Act on tripartism has yet to come into effect. [1] http://www-8.vlada.gov.sk/index.php?ID=1672 [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/new-government-programme-includes-union-demands [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/new-bill-on-tripartism-aims-at-more-effective-social-dialogue

The Slovakian government has embarked on the task of reducing the number of civil servants by 20% by the end of 2007. Among the government ministries that have already announced the number of employees to be dismissed is the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (Ministerstvo práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny Slovenskej republiky, MPSVR SR [1]). In early June 2007, the MPSVR SR announced that some 1,501 of its employees are to be dismissed by the end of 2007. According to the MPSVR SR’s budget for 2007, 14,046 persons are employed by budgetary organisations in the sector, 419 of whom are employees of the ministry. The planned reduction in employees in the sector thus amounts to 11% of the total number of employees within the ministry’s budget. [1] http://www.employment.gov.sk/

According to data from the Slovak Statistical Office (Slovenský štatistický úrad, ŠÚ SR [1]), wage increases in the healthcare sector are among the lowest in the economy. From 2003 to 2006, the highest increase of nominal wages was recorded in public administration, defence and compulsory social security. Nominal wages in the latter sector increased by 44%, while real wages grew by 25%. During the same period, nominal wages in the healthcare sector increased by 25% and real wages rose by 9%. In the last three years, real wages in the healthcare sector increased, on average, by 3% annually, while real wages in public administration, defence and compulsory social security increased by more than 8% annually. [1] http://www.statistics.sk/webdata/english/index2_a.htm

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Slovakia in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The sectoral collective agreement for public servants for 2007 was signed by five government ministers, the President of the Association of Municipalities of Slovakia (Združenie miest a obcí Slovenska, ZMOS [1]) and the chairs of eight regional authorities, with representatives of the Confederation of Trade Unions (Konfederácia odborových zväzov Slovenskej republiky, KOZ SR [2]) and the Independent Christian Trade Unions (Nezávislé kresťanské odbory Slovenska, NKOS [3]). [1] http://www.zmos.sk/default.aspx?id=9&lang=sk [2] http://www.kozsr.sk [3] http://www.nkos.sk/

On 22 February 2007, air traffic controllers took part in a warning strike from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. against inadequate air traffic safety measures. According to the President of the Association of Air Traffic Controllers (Združenie riadiacich letovej prevádzky Slovenskej republiky, ZRLP SR), Luboš Laurenčík, the workers decided to go on strike due to a longstanding decline in air traffic safety. This deterioration in safety measures had resulted in excessive mental stress for air traffic controllers and had threatened their economic interests. ZRLP SR criticised the present situation, which was not met with a positive response from the management of the Air Traffic Services (Letové prevádzkové služby, LPS [1]). [1] http://www.lps.sk/generate_page.php?page_id=158

The government recently submitted its proposed draft Labour Code changes to the social partners. On 25 January 2007, the Prime Minister, Robert Fico, discussed the proposed changes with trade union representatives, who in turn expressed their satisfaction with the amendments. Although the draft changes also reflect the demands of the employers, the latter do not agree with most of the proposed changes. Representatives of the National Union of Employers (Republiková únia zamestnávatelov Slovenskej republiky, RÚZ SR [1]), the Federation of Employer Associations of Slovakia (Asociácia zamestnávatelských zväzov a združení Slovenskej republiky, AZZZ SR [2]), the Business Alliance of Slovakia (Podnikatelská aliancia Slovenska, PAS [3]) and the Slovak Association of Small Enterprises (Slovenská asociácia malých podnikov, SAMP [4]) are refusing to accept the changes. In their opinion, the proposed amendments to the Labour Code will impair the competitiveness of employers and lower employment levels in Slovakia. The draft amendment encompasses more than 100 contentual changes to the current Labour Code. The employers have been particularly critical of changes proposed in relation to working time, employment contracts and dismissals. [1] http://www.ruzsr.sk/ [2] http://www.azzz.sk/a3z_us.htm [3] http://www.alianciapas.sk/pas/index.htm [4] http://www.samp-msp.sk/

For the past couple of years, Slovakian healthcare workers have been asking for a wage increase as their wages are below average compared with other professions. The remuneration of healthcare workers had significantly changed in 2004, when legislative changes relating to public services entered into effect. With these changes, the former government wanted to achieve a higher flexibility in the remuneration of healthcare workers in order to improve their performance by means of pay-based motivation. These changes impacted also on the remuneration of nurses, who in the summer of 2005 organised several protest meetings to improve their wage situation and employment conditions (*SK0509101N* [1]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/nurses-are-protesting

Collective bargaining at sectoral level is a topic which has been discussed by employers for some time. In general, employers in Slovakia consider sectoral collective agreements to be serious barriers to competitiveness. From the employers’ perspective, the agreements decrease employment flexibility and reduce the margin of manoeuvrability of enterprise management, particularly with regard to the remuneration of employees. According to information available from the trade unions, some employers left the employer organisations, because they did not want to be bound by a sectoral collective agreement.

Although the level of internet usage in Slovakia is still relatively low, it has, however, been gradually increasing. Surveys conducted by individual agencies show that the data on internet usage are rather varied. In total, around 20% to 30% of adults are thought to have internet access. A survey conducted by the GfK [1] agency indicated that 23% of citizens had internet access in 2002, while another survey (/Obcania Slovenska a elektronické služby verejnej správy/) by the MVK agency revealed that nearly 33% of people had internet access in 2003. According to a survey by the FOCUS agency (/Digitálna gramotnost na Slovensku/), the internet was used regularly by 22% of respondents in 2005, mainly at work, but also as part of people’s studies and at home. [1] http://www.gfk.sk/sk/default.asp