New Slovakian Labour Code Act � Slovakian trade unions meet with some success

Posted to the IUF website 01-Apr-2003

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IUF Slovakian affiliates have played their part in a campaign to protect labour laws in that country. The following text was sent out by the IUF' regional organization, EFFAT-IUF, to its affiliates following the efforts of the trade union movement there:

"When the Slovakian government put forward a series of major changes to the Labour Code Act of April 2002 in what was to all intents and purposes a �high-speed procedure�, the trade unions immediately made their views known in clear and unambiguous terms. They objected to the abrupt manner in which the government had bypassed consultation with the social partners before submitting its proposals, and on 26 February the KOZ indicated that it was ready to call a strike.

In parallel to these events, the unions set up a group of experts to look into the government�s proposals. This group now appears to have been successful in its endeavours, as substantial tripartite negotiations have taken place and the results of a series of agreements on a new revision of the Labour Code Act were presented to the government by the Minister of Labour a few days ago.

The most important results achieved by the unions on the government�s first set of proposals are as follows:

 Minimum wages are to be retained.
 The licensing of employment agencies (>temporary agency work) has been set aside for the time being and will be discussed again later with a view to establishing a separate employment law.
 Additional holiday provisions for certain groups of workers (such as those working in hazardous occupations) are to be retained.
 The planned extensions of working hours in 2 and 3 shift operations were dropped, and the 37.5 hour system is to be retained.
 Trade union monitoring of occupational health and safety measures is to be retained.
 Changes to rules on working hours in enterprises will require the agreement of the trade union/works council.
 Notice periods and compensation were revised, but in a form acceptable to the trade unions.

The only outstanding issues to be resolved are the provision of time off for workforce representatives and the division of areas of competence between works councils and trade unions working side by side in enterprises.

Despite the current agreements reached in the tripartite council, the unions are remaining vigilant, as they fear that the employers may try to influence the parliamentary legislative process which will now follow.

The Slovakian trade unions have proved that a rapid, well-founded response by the unions was both possible and successful. They also succeeded in getting the ILO directly involved in the process so that irrelevant provisions could be excluded from the outset.

We must now wait and see whether parliament will abide by the agreements established between the social partners.