YOUTH ofFree Trade Union

Confederation of Latvia(LBAS JP)

LBAS was founded in 1990. It is the only national organization in Latvia protecting workers’ rights and interests.

LBAS unites 15% of all Latvia’s workers. More than 60% of all members are women.

LBAS member organizations are 21 independent Branch trade unions representing all economy spheres in all regions of Latvia. At the end of 2008 four new LBAS consulting centres in regions will be established.

Major and most powerful affiliated organizations are:

•Education and Science Employees Trade Union (LIZDA),

•Health and Social Care Employees Trade Union (LVSADA),

•Railway and Transport Workers Trade Union (LDZSA),

•Public Service and Transport Workers Trade Union (LAKRS).

LBAS financesBasic activities have been financed by membership fees only. Each member pays to the respective trade union 1% of his gross salary. However, for basic activities LBAS receives 3% from all branch organization membership fees.

LBAS does not receive any state subsidies, donations from private or legal persons.

During last few years LBAS had an opportunity to participate in the European Social Fund project on LBAS capacity building which was a great financial support for trade union activities.

At present LBAS has started new activities in two ESF projects:

• “Strengthening of LBAS Administrative Capacity“ for period 2009-2015

•“Practical Application of Normative Acts Regarding Legal Labour Relations and Job Security in Sectors and Enterprises” for period 2008-2013

LBAS challenges

Despite of 18 years working experience in market economy and globalization process, in its work LBAS is facing following main problems:

- Unwillingness of young people to join the union, decrease of membership;

- Insufficiency of social dialogue both at national and branch level as well as at the company level;

- Unwillingness of our Parliament (Saeima) and the Government to support trade union movement, their lack of interest in strong social partner;

- Activities of employers organizations are unpredictable;- Financial incompetence – lack of sufficient financial

resources;- Lack of trade union organizing uniformity, numerous small

trade union organizations.

Labour market tendencies

In recent years we strongly face globalization effect on the economical development of Latvia. This process facilitates intensification of two contradictory tendencies :

- migration of domestic labour force to the West-European countries, due to low wages and disorder of working environment in Latvia;

- invitation of guest workers from European Union and third countries, increasing concerns regarding the inflow of low qualified and unskilled labour force and social dumping.

During last 2 years social dialogue at national level has become worse, the procedure of decision-making in National Tripartite Council is not observed. In 2007 the activities of NTC completely stopped as the Government did not wish to listen to social partners which resulted in several protest actions of trade unions – pickets and meetings at the Parliament (Saeima) House.

By these actions the Parliament members were forced to take into account trade union demands and to make amendments in the draft state budget for 2008 providing increase of financial resources for retired people and employees of state budget institutions.