Trade Unions in the Czech National Bank Dana Jedlikova Jitka Svobodova Prague, Ilona Vodickova

Trade Unions The Trade Union of the CNB is part of a craft union joining together banking and insurance employees The „Trade Union of Banking and Insurance Employees“ is part of the „Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions“ „Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions“ is the most important and the biggest trade union federation in Czech Republic Headquarters of the Confederation are situated in Prague

„Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions“ …is a voluntary, open, independent, democratic confederation of trade unions protecting wage, working and living conditions and rights of employees …is an important social partner in tripartite negotiations in the framework of the Council of Economic and Social Agreement of the Czech Republic …is a member of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) Number of affiliated unions is 32

„Trade Union of Banking and Insurance Employees“ #1 …is based in Prague …is a voluntary, open, independent and democratic trade union …was established in 1990 …is a member of –the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions /CMKOS/ –ETUC /European Trade Union Confederation/ –ICFTU /International Confederation of Free Trade Unions/ –Union Network International /UNI/ …associates members in –commercial banks and in the Czech National Bank –insurance companies – commercial and health insurance –other companies, e.g. in security agencies …has priorities as follows –collective bargaining –wages, working time, working conditions, social security –trade union rights

„Trade Union of Banking and Insurance Employees“ #2 Overview of the Collective Bargaining: –This craft union is the only one social partner for collective bargaining on sectoral level with the „Bank and Insurance Association“ representing employers (but the CNB is not a member of this association) –Two levels of collective bargaining according to law Sectoral level > superior collective agreement Company level > conditions agreed in collective agreements on the company level cannot be worse than conditions included in the superior collective agreement –Superior collective agreements are usually concluded for 2 or 3 years with the exception of wages and social funds which are agreed for 1 year only (but they does not concern the CNB) –More than 75% employees in banking sector are covered by the superior collective agreement

Trade Union of the CNB #1 … joins 8 basic units (1 in the headquarters in Prague, others in all the branches) The Board of the TU CNB is the only one representative of employees and the only one counterparty of the CNB‘s Bank Board in the process of Collective Bargaining The Board of TU CNB is composed of 17 members; is composed of 2 sections /section joining heads of basic units, section of heads of specialized committees, e.g. for Collective Bargaining/ Leadership of the of TU CNB‘s Board is constituted by: the President 2 Vice-presidents 2 secretaries for representation in the Board of the Trade Union of Banking and Insurance Employees for representation in SCECBU Number of the TU CNB‘s members is about 440 (i.e. 34 % of the CNB‘s employees)

Trade Union‘s Basic Units in the CNB Branch in Ústí nad Labem Branch in Hradec Králové Branch in Brno Branch in Ostrava Branch in České Budějovice Branch in Plzeň Headquarters in Prague Branch in Prague

Trade Union of the CNB #2 Collective agreements are concluded for one year. The process of collective bargaining usually starts in the end of September, when the TU CNB sends a letter to the Bank Board with its requirements for the next year. The schedule of collective bargaining is agreed between the TU CNB and the employer and then approved by the TU CNB conference. One or two rounds of collective bargaining between the CNB's management and members of the committee for collective bargaining of the TU CNB are usually held. Then a final protocol is signed by both the parties. Results of collective bargaining are approved by the CNB's trade union conference (usually in November). The Bank Board of the CNB approves the results as well. The collective agreement for the next year is signed by the Governor of the CNB and by the President of the CNB's trade union during a Bank Board‘s meeting in December.

Trade Union of the CNB #3 Results of collective bargaining for 2009: Agreed increase in the average salary by 5 % Some improvements in the "cafeteria“ benefit system: –growth of personal limit for each employee (from 11,500 CZK to 12,000 CZK) –present possibilities how to use personal limit: recreation – employees and his dependant cultural and sports activities spa treatment physiotherapy study of foreign languages T-shirt with the CNB‘s logo –new possibilities how to use personal limit: vaccination against some infectious diseases, e.g. hepatitis, meningitis, encephalitis, which is not reimbursed by the public health insurance fully school fees in kindergartens increase in bank's contribution to luncheon vouchers

Trade Union of the CNB #4 Currently solved problems: continual decrease in number of members (the same problem in other trade union organisations joined in our craft union and also in other craft unions)  retirement of elderly employees, whose engagement in the trade union activities was high  unwillingness of new employees (esp. alumnis) to join trade union  bad reputation of trade unions – profaned in the socialism period  unwillingness of young people to be engaged in some structures according to law (the Act on Collective Bargaining), benefits agreed in the collective agreement relate to all the employees (not only trade unionists)  „ brightness“ of some employees – why to pay membership fees? to combat this problem, our craft union introduced some material incentives for standing members who acquire new members (from January 2009)