Lithuania -Dreaded liberalisation of labour code appears set to clear Parliament -October 15, 2015

Parliament has adopted the first set of amendments to the labour code and accompanying laws meant to create a more liberalised labour market. The so-called new social model, which trade unions are mobilising against (as reported in last month’s newsletter), would significantly reduce workers’ legal protection. The proposed Labour Code, amongst others, would lower wages by no longer paying overtime, while simultaneously requiring employees to work mandatory overtime. The law raises the maximum weekly working hours to 60 hours per week and makes it easier as well as cheaper for employers to fire workers. The new social model includes 7 main and 27 accompanying laws that are being debated in Parliament and will be tabled in the plenary session on 24 November 2015 for adoption.

English: http://en.delfi.lt/lithuania/politics/labour-code-reform-package...

For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.