Blaziene, Inga

In response to the current economic situation in Lithuania, which is continuing to worsen, the government of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė, LRV [1]) with a view to realigning the national budget is to impose public sector wage cuts, as well as to reduce the amount of old-age pensions and other social welfare benefits. [1] http://www.lrv.lt/

In 2008, at the request of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour (Socialinės apsaugos ir darbo ministerija, SADM [1]), the Lithuanian University of Agriculture (Lietuvos žemės ūkio universitetas, LZUU [2]) conducted a survey seeking to analyse occupational safety and health measures in agricultural companies and enterprises in Lithuania during the period 2003–2007. The survey also sought to issue recommendations on likely preventive measures for improving occupational health and safety [3]. In particular, it analysed the situation regarding agricultural enterprises’ compliance with occupational health and safety requirements, as laid down in Lithuania’s labour legislation; this included the provision of information, instruction, the training of employees and other issues. [1] http://www.socmin.lt/ [2] http://www.lzuu.lt/pradzia/lt/ [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/health-and-safety

The Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Trišalė taryba, LRTT [1]) is currently the main social dialogue institution in the country. Representatives of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė, LRV [2]) and national-level employer and trade union organisations meet for debates at the LRTT at least once a month. [1] http://www.lrtt.lt/ [2] http://www.lrv.lt

The impact of the global economic crisis has hit Lithuania severely: in the second quarter of 2009, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) fell by more than 20% compared with the same period in the previous year. Moreover, the unemployment rate currently exceeds 10%, while an increasing number of companies are going bankrupt, and the budget deficit is continuing to grow. Against this background, the government of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė, LRV [1]) needs support from all political parties and social partners. [1] http://www.lrv.lt

In order to cope with the growing impact of the global economic crisis in Lithuania, the government of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė, LRV [1]) announced that it was planning to increase taxes and reduce state expenditure in order to balance the budget. Without consulting the trade unions, the government decided on 17 June 2009 to cut the basic monthly salary in the public sector. The basic monthly salary is applied as a reference to determine the salaries of public sector employees such as tutors, social workers, librarians and cultural workers. The basic weekly salary was to be reduced accordingly from LTL 128 (about €37 as at 30 July 2009) to LTL 115 (€33). The pay cut was due to enter into force on 1 August and would have affected about 230,000 public sector employees, most of whom are already relatively low paid. [1] http://www.lrv.lt

In March 2009, social partners at the Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos trišalė taryba, LRTT [1]) met on two occasions to consider a draft law amending and supplementing 19 articles of the country’s Labour Code. The changes aim to allow for more flexible regulation of industrial relations and to promote social dialogue at company level. The draft was developed taking into consideration proposals of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (Lietuvos pramonininkų konfederacija, LPK [2]), the Association of Lithuanian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (Lietuvos prekybos, pramonės ir amatų rūmų asociacija, LPPARA [3]), the Investors’ Forum (Investuotojų forumas, IF [4]) and scientists. [1] http://www.lrtt.lt/ [2] http://www.lpk.lt/ [3] http://www.chambers.lt/ [4] http://www.investorsforum.lt/lt/

On 16 January 2009, three national trade union organisations called for national protest action in front of parliament and government buildings in the city of Vilnius, located in the southeast of the country. The trade unions involved included the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (Lietuvos profesinių sąjungų konfederacija, LPSK [1]), the Lithuanian Labour Federation (Lietuvos darbo federacija, LDF [2]) and the Lithuanian Trade Union ‘Solidarity’ (Lietuvos profesinė sąjunga ‘Solidarumas’, LPS ‘Solidarity’ [3]). According to different sources, the number of protesters varied from 5,000 to 7,000 people. Although the trade unions advised participants ‘to stay dignified, serious and quiet, respectful of the neighbourhood, not to violate each other’s rights and freedoms’, the anticipated peaceful protest action ended in riots and civil unrest (*LT0901019I* [4]). [1] http://www.lpsk.lt/ [2] http://www.ldf.lt/ [3] http://www.lps.lt/ [4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/trade-unions-organise-national-protest-to-demand-action-on-economic-crisis

The findings of a 2007 survey on the reconciliation of work and family life reveal that Lithuanian society is still quite conservative about sharing family responsibilities between men and women. The main barrier to achieving a better balance between work and family life continues to be the personal attitudes of the respondents themselves. Workers who strive for higher wages and better career prospects tend to give a higher priority to work than to family life.

The education sector is one of the best organised sectors of economic activity in Lithuania. It not only unites a considerable number of trade union members, but also has several trade union organisations: sectoral trade unions of education workers are functioning in all of the national peak trade union organisations. In addition, numerous independent education workers’ trade union organisations exist.

Dissatisfied with the social and economic policies pursued and hastily adopted legislation in the country, three national trade union organisations staged protest action on 16 January 2009 in front of the buildings of the parliament (Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas, LRS [1]) and the government (Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė, LRV [2]) (*LT0901019I* [3]). The trade unions involved included the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (Lietuvos profesinių sąjungų konfederacija, LPSK [4]), the Lithuanian Labour Federation (Lietuvos darbo federacija, LDF [5]) and the Lithuanian Trade Union ‘Solidarity’ (Lietuvos profesinė sąjunga ‘Solidarumas’, LPS Solidarity [6]). Among the trade union demands put forward to the government were greater attention to the social partners’ opinion prior to adopting legislation that would be significant for employees and consideration of such legislation at the Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Trišalė taryba, LRTT [7]). [1] http://www.lrs.lt [2] http://www.lrv.lt [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/trade-unions-organise-national-protest-to-demand-action-on-economic-crisis [4] http://www.lpsk.lt/ [5] http://www.ldf.lt/ [6] http://www.lps.lt/ [7] http://www.lrtt.lt/