Industriall European Trade Union Eastern Region

1. Industriall European Trade UnionEastern Region Steering Committee Luxembourg, 9.10.2012 D.Sakařová

2. First Meeting after the Congress • SLOVENIA – Zreče, 25.-27.9.2012 • Agenda: • Recent development in Europe • Country reports • Nomination to „Financial Working Group“ • Possible cooperation with other regions • Next Meeting • Key topics for next Meeting

3. Eastern Region

4. Country reports • All available country reports will be available in the Industriall web sites – section Regions • Covered issues: • Involved unions • TU Membership • Basic information about individual countries • Main problems of the given countries • TU Aims for the near future • Brief information about Collective bargaining systems

5. Average yearly wage in 2010 (EA=100) Note: Data on behalf of the whole economy calculated to full yearly jobs. Data for Eurozone areimbalanced average of EU-15 countries, e.g. without Cyprus and Malta, for which the data are not available. Source: OECD.Stat, ČNBcalculation Exchange Rate Recalculation Purchasing Power Parity Recalculation

6. Unemployment Rate Source: Eurostat

7. Hungary – Main Problems • Economic downturn / production-investment / • Loss in Competitiveness (-12 ranks ) • Reduction in real wages ( changes in taxes, inflation, income) • Attack against workers' rights (lack of interest reconciliation, new LC, flexibility without security) • Attack against union rights / strike right, LC / • Attack against institutions of democracy /  (Constitutional Court, MediaLaw, newElectoralLaw) • Attack against social welfare system ( unemployment- and social benefits, health care ) • Hopelessness of young people ( education, tuition fee, increased migration)

8. Slovenia – Main Problems • The slowdown of economic activity in Slovenia’s main trading partners in the second quarter of 2012 • A decline in domestic demand and a drop of exports • An increase in the number of people registered as unemployed in the country • The volume of loans granted by domestic banks to Slovenian companies is decreasing • Lack of trust among the social partners and apathy in the population thinking that nothing can be done to improve the situation substantially

9. Czech Republic – Main Problems • Economy is stagnating, GDP level from the year 2008 was not yet overcome • We „harvest the fruits“ of governmental policy failures from the nineties (coupon privatisation and destruction of production capacities) • Recently it is about competition for lowest taxation • Government is not able to estimate the perspectives of economic development (failures in crisis impacts estimation in 2009)

10. Slovakia – Main Problems • High level of unemployment (young people till the age of 35) • Week enforcement of law, long court cases • Public finances consolidation • Minimum labour standards are not observed, weaker labour protection of employees • Low wage level, low purchasing power • High level of inflation, increase of energy prices

11. Poland – Main Problems • Increase of Pension Age • Problems with dialog with the Polish Government • People are not implementing their knowledge's in Poland – searching work in abroad • Employers are not members of Employers Associations – problems in collective bargaining

12. Next Meetings in 2013 Rotation Principle • Spring: Slovakia – week 25.-29.3.2013 (3 days including arrival/departure) • Autumn: • Czech Republic

13. Key Topics • Restructuring and the Role of Trade Unions in Restructuring • Crisis – approaches and steps of individual Governments

14. Thank you for your attention.