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Trade unions in Estonia

Trade unions in Estonia. September 2007 Gert Kulatos Jana Morozov. Unions. Union density rate - approx. 10% Confederations: EAKL - Confederation of Estonian Trade Unions re-established in April 1990 (first TUC in 1919) TALO - Estonian Employees’ Unions’ Confederation

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Trade unions in Estonia

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  1. Trade unions in Estonia September 2007 Gert Kulatos Jana Morozov

  2. Unions Union density rate - approx. 10% Confederations: • EAKL - Confederation of Estonian Trade Unions • re-established in April 1990 (first TUC in 1919) • TALO - Estonian Employees’ Unions’ Confederation • split from the EAKL in 1993-1994

  3. EAKL – Confederation of Estonian Trade Unions 39,1 thousand members 19 affiliates in: • industry, transport and private services • health care • state and local authorities

  4. EAKL • Secretariat (11 employees) • 6 regional offices Central office: • President • Organisational secretary • Legal secretary • Wage secretary • International secretary • PR-manager

  5. Social dialogue • 1992 April – first tripartite agreement • 1992-2003 – 17 tripartite agreements • Minimum wage • State unemployment allowance • Basic income tax exemption • Participatory democracy • Guarantee fund • Principles of new Labour Contract Act

  6. Bipartite negotiations • Unions – employers • National: confederations • Branch: sectoral federations/associations • Company: union and employer • Unions – government • Civil servants’ salaries • Teachers’ salaries

  7. EAKL–Employers’ Confederation • December 1999 - memorandum • February 2001 – unemployment insurance • March 2001 – social partnership • August 2001 – principles of increasing minimum wage for 2002-2008 • September 2003 – principles of new Labour Contract Act • Agreements on minimum wage (2002, 2003, 2004)

  8. Collective agreements • Total coverage – 26% • 1 national agreement • 2 sectoral/branch agreements • public transport • health care • Energy, railway, mining covered by company agreements

  9. Achievments • Participatory Democracy Agreement (1996) • Guarantee Fund (1998) • Trade Union Act (2000) • Extension of national and branch level collective agreements • Social Insurance Reform (2000-2002)

  10. Labour conflicts • Autumn 2002 – EAKL broke off the dialogue with the government • December 3, 2003 – teachers and employees of cultural institutions went on 8-hour strike • 2 solidarity strikes • September 23, 2004 – engine drivers went on 6-days strike

  11. Priorities for unions • Organising and recruiting members • Increasing representativity • Increasing bargaining capacity • Increasing ability to take industrial actions • 2004 – EAKL and affiliates organised 16 strikes, demonstartions, picketing etc.

  12. Challenges • Reluctance of the state/government to engage in social dialogue • no real interest in social partners’ involvement • refusal to allocate ESF money for social partners’ capacity building

  13. Challenges (2) • Forcing the government/state: • to abolish the total ban on strikes of civil servants • to inform and consult unions • Increasing the employers’ interest in collective bargaining • strong will to lower standards

  14. Eesti Teenindus- ja Kaubandustöötajate AÜ (ETKA) • Established: 4.April 1990 • Trade sector - employees ~72 000 - union members ~ 90% employees

  15. ETKA history: • 1991 – 1995 Break-Ups and Bankruptcy of different trade organizations - Break-ups of different trade union organizations - Huge decline in members for the union • 2002 – 500 members in union • 2003 became member of ESAL • 2005 Collaboration ended, because ETKA development halted • 2007 over 800 members in union

  16. ETKA Members (1) Trade Sector • Tallinna Kaubamaja Ametiühing • Prisma Peremarket Ametiühing • Rapla Tarbijate Ühistu Ametiühing • Järva Tarbijate Ühistu Ametiühing • Pärnu Majandusühistu Ametiühing • Rimi Eesti Food Ametiühing

  17. ETKA Members (2) • Tartu Tarbijate Kooparatiiv Ametiühing • K-Rautakesko Ametiühing • Võru Tarbijate Ühistu Ametiühing • Kilingi Nõmme Ametiühing • Elva Tarbijate Ühistu Ametiühing • Abja Tarbijate Ühistu Ametiühing • ABC King Ametiühing

  18. ETKA Members (3) • Selver Ametiühing • Viljandi Tarbijate Ühistu • CoMarket Ametiühing • Põltsamaa Majandusühistu Ametiühing • K-Cordisk Ametiühing • ETK Laagri Maksimarket Ametiühing • Säästumarket Ametiühing

  19. ETKA Members (4) Restaurant- & Hotel sector • Reval Hotels • Wilde Irish Pub • Esprei&Vespe

  20. ETKA Members (5) Security • Falck - Ida Eesti • Falck – Lääne Eesti

  21. Negotions • Bipartitenegotions • - company • - branch • Tripartitenegotions • - goverment, employer & union • alliances

  22. Negotions • Legislation - Collective contract law - Kollektiivse töötüli lahendamise seadus - Trade union law - Employee trust person law - Work legislation

  23. Negotiation process 1. Letter to Employer - proposal to start negotiation; - Assembly of union delegation; - Signer; - Collective contract project 2. Negotiation have to begin within 7 days!

  24. Negotiations • Problem - little skills from employer and/or union - Forceful position from employer or goverment towards negotions - Little or no wish to reach an agreement - Social dialog doesn’t go well

  25. Negotiations in practise (1) • Reaching agreement without giving in What to do? - seperate people and problem - Vision (what you try to achive) - Emotion - Communication • People – Soft • Problem - Rigid

  26. Negotiations in practise (2) • Focus on interests, not positions - Defining interest - explanation to other part - focusing on wished results

  27. Negotiations in practis (3) • Creating options • Create options for mutual agreement: • 1. avoid premature decision • 2. don’t border -> widen options • 3. avoid approach ”win-lose” • 4. Finding solutions should for both sides.

  28. Negotiations in practise (4) • using objective criterias - what are other sides explanation for suggestions - using opponents way of thinking - both sides have to remain open - not to give in to pressure,bribary,threats

  29. Ending negotiations • Possible in 2 ways 1. Signing collective contract - Execution of collective contract 2. Collective contract will not be signed - industrial conflict

  30. Wilde Irish Pub (1) • Negative experience - union made a proposal to start negotiations - Employer was not interested in negotiating - trade union turned to state conciliator to begin reconciliation process - trade union included state conciliator to negotiation process

  31. Wilde Irish Pub (2) - Employer did not wish to fix work and wage policy - Employer started stalling negotiation process - Employees were passive - agreement was not reached - Negotiations have stopped

  32. New trust person and trade union law Positive Experience - 2006 Ministry of Social Affairs proposal to change law - legislative proposal for hostile towards trade union - EAKL turned to ILO for help - ILO brought out 21 problems, which were conflicting ILO convection - Estonian unions stepped out for their rights

  33. New trust person and trade union law (change) • Trade unions achieved: - better trust person law - Ensuring better trade union rights in the new law • Glossary - Achiving success in co-operation with different trade unions

  34. Pictures from protest

  35. Pictures from protest

  36. Pictures from protest

  37. Pictures from protest

  38. Our contacts Elle Pütsepp Trade Union of Estonian Commercial and Servicing Empolyees, chairman. E-mail:elle.pyy@mail.ee Phone: +372 7 441 830 Fax: +372 7 407 577 GSM: +372 55621200 Jana Morozov Councilman,regional coordinator E-mail:janamorozov@gmx.net Phone: +372 7 441 822 GSM: +372 53 49 1171 Gert Külaots Memberhirerer and activist E-mail: gertkylaots@hot.ee Thank you for attention

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