Latvian Commercial workers’ Trade Union ECONOMICAL SITUATION IN LATVIA SOCIAL DIALOUGE AND TRADE UNIONS IN LATVIA Torino, 22 of March, ITC ILO

MAIN INDICATORS Average monthly wages of employees 2006 302 LVL=431 EUR 2007 397 LVL=567 EUR 2008 479 LVL=684 EUR Minimal monthly wages 2006 90 LVL=129 EUR 2007 120 LVL=171 EUR 2008 160 LVL=229 EUR 2009 180 LVL=257 EUR

MAIN INDICATORS Minimal consumer basket 2006 117 LVL=167 EUR

MAIN INDICATORS Rate of unemployed persons to the total number of economically active population 2006 6,8% 2007 6,0% 2008 7,5%

MAIN INDICATORS Age of pension males 62 years females 62 years Average monthly pension 2006 96 LVL=137 EUR 2007 111 LVL=159 EUR

FREE TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION OF LATVIA / LBAS/ Founded in 1990 The biggest non-governmental organization in Latvia protecting workers’ rights and interests Only Trade Union Confederation on national level in Latvia Unites 138 696 members or ~more than 15% of all employees of country 20 affiliated organizations

FREE TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION OF LATVIA / LBAS/ Financed by members’ fees Each member pays to the respective TU 1% of gross salary LBAS receives 3% from all collected members’ fees of affiliate organizations

FREE TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION OF LATVIA / LBAS/ LBAS represents the interests of its members in: National Tripartite Council and its Sub-councils State and municipal institutions courts

Latvian Commercial workers’ Trade Union Founded in 1990 Membership - 3100 Affiliate of LBAS Affiliate of UNI and UNI Europa International cooperation with Baltic and Nordic TU

Latvian Commercial workers’ Trade Union ACTION PRIORITIES Social dialogue on sectoral level – agreement with Latvian Commercial employees’ Asociation on company level – collective agreements Training Legal aid New services for members New members recruitment

Problems Middle -aged people have bad memories from previous TU results Negative covert attitude from a lot of employers People individualism and passivity Undesire to tear away finances as member fees from poor families budget

Strategic orientations and practices for recruitment Existing of data basis of retail companies with large number of potential members Meetings with employers and employees in interested companies Distribution of advertisement materials in different ways / in shopping centres etc./ Choice of suitable agitators and contact persons in interested companies Involvement of individual members in TU Training of young members

Best practice. Growth of membership in Nordic company RIMI/ICA

Best practice. Growth of involved shops in Nordic company RIMI/ICA

Trade Union circle Trade Union More members More finances More services

Latvian Commercial Workers’ Trade Union Thank You MARTINS MERTENS Latvian Commercial Workers’ Trade Union