Tensions remain between the government of Prime Minister Iveta Radičová and the trade union movement concerning the Labour Code reform. By the end of March, after the end of the review process, unions jointly walked out of talks over the changes in the code, which they deem are unnecessary. The KOVO union organised a rallye in the Bratislava capital. The Labour Ministry called the unions uninformed, while they replied that the decline in the economic and social status of employees left them with no other choice but to launch protests. Employers’ organisations have also expressed objections to the government’s proposals, but they say they are still committed to negotiations. Prime Minister Radičová has argued that there is still enough time to find a compromise since the Labour Code is due to be adopted in May (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 3 November 2010 and Year 4 January 2011).
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/42173/3/better_to_protest_or ...
This article was published in the Collective Bargaining Newsletter. It aims to facilitate information exchange between trade unions and to support the work of ETUC's collective bargaining committee. For more information, please contact the editor Maarten van Klaveren, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) M.vanKlaveren@uva.nl. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net. © ETUI aisbl, Brussels 2011.