Promotion of the Social Dialogue,Strengthening of Workers

Organizations and the Collective Representation through Education, Information and Consultation with a

Special Focus on Nordic Companies in the Baltic States

Project supported by the European Commission

Project PartnersMain partner organisations: ITUC – International Trade Union Confederation; ETUC-European Trade Union confederation LO/TCO Bistånsnämnd (Sweden); LPSK – Lithuanian TU Confederation; LBAS – Latvian TU Confederation; EAKL – Estonian TU Confederation; TALO – Estonian TU for Professional Employees. LDF- Lithuanian Labour Federation LPS”Solidarumas” Lithuania

Other possible partner organisations: GUFs, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish TUs, other labour movement NGOs.

Project Co-ordination Office

ITUC Vilnius Bureau

Jasinskio 9

Vilnius, Lithuania

E-mail: ituc.vilnius@post.5ci.lt

Tel.: +370 699 05263

Fax: +370 52124788

Project Co-ordination OfficeProject office

inVilnius

National Co-ordinatorLT

National Co-ordinatorLV

National Co-ordinatorEST

ProjectWorking Group

NationalWorking Group

NationalWorking Group

NationalWorking Group

LO-TCO

Biståndsnämnds

Project Advisory Group

ITUC/PERC

LO-TCO Biståndsnämnds

Vilnius Project Office

Information flow

BASTUN

ETUC

BTUC

NordicIndustry

Federations

VilniusOffice

Target Sectors

Commerce;

Finances;

Services;

Industry;

Transport;

Telecommunication;

And other interested areas having Nordic investments.

Expected Results

• Strengthened Social Dialogue in the targeted sectors;• Trade Unions have better skills organisational

development and collective negotiations;• Informational network;• Increasing membership,number of collective

agreements and negotiations• Efficient cross border co-ordination in the Nordic-

Baltic TU family;• Young workers and women activated in targeted

sectors

Project Activities – Work planPhases Dates No. of

participantsVenues Events

Preparatory December 13 10 Stockholm, SE Baltic Co-ordination meeting for Swedish Tus

January 22 15 Vilnius, LT Project Working Group meeting

January 23-24 46 Vilnius, LT Introduction conference for Nordic-Baltic partners

Main event March 5-7 27 Parnu, EST Workers organisation capacity building. How to develop social dialogue in service sector-seminar

March 26-28 23 Jurmala , LV Strengthening gender perspective in social dialogue - seminar

June 17 16 Vilnius, LT Baltic TU Council meeting

June 27-July 3 42 Palanga, LT Training for Young workers representatives

Sept 16-18 20 Jurmala LV IT Training for TU activists

Follow up October 23-24 57 Druskininkai, LT General evaluation conference for Nordic-Baltic partners

October 22 6 “ Project Working Group meeting

Background Information

Number of population 1.340.900 2.270.900 3.366.400

Number of labour force 655.300 1.142.000 1.510.300

Unemployment, % 4,4 6,2 5,1

Inflation, % 11,3 17,9 12

Minimum wages, Euro 278 228 232

Average wages, Euro 850 679 648

Foreign direct investments, per capita, Euro

8759 3323 2967

GDP, millions Euro 8284 5364 8284

GDP per capita 11382 8723 8420

Growth of wages in 2007, % 15,2 23,6 22,5

POPULATION AND SIZE

POLAND

Population: 38.5 million (2008)

Area: 312,685 sq. km

BELARUS

Population: 9.685 mill.

(June 2008)

Area: 207,600 sq km

RUSSIA

Population: 142.2 mill. (2007)

Area: 17,075,200 sq km

LATVIA

Population: 2,271 mill.

Area: 64,589 sq km

ESTONIA

Population: 1,341 mill.

Area: 45,226 sq km

LITHUANIA

Population: 3,366 mill.

Area: 65,200 sq km

KALININGRAD OBLAST

Population: 947,000

Area: 15,100 sq km

Membership numbers, thousands

6245

37

202

152134

110100

0

50

100

150

200

250

2001 2004 2008

EAKLLBASLPSK

Results achieved in the targeted sectors in three Baltic countries

Sector Members 2004

Members 2008

Finance / insurance 200 600

Security (G4S) 50 600

Commerce (RIMI & KESKO) 150 1300

Telecom (Telia/Sonera) 5000 3500

Casino (OCG Baltic) 40 250

Petrol (Statoil) 400 220

Challenges

• Staff turnover inside union organisations;

• TU organisations are overloaded with different projects;

• Lack of co-ordination among international organisations;

• How to maintain the established organisation?

• Lack of professionalism and competence;

• Disability to accept criticism.

Recommendations• ETUC, PERC, BASTUN should act together in the

Baltic region;• BASTUN should become the main umbrella

organisation for programmes and projects; • European Federations, GUFs and Nordic federations

should work closer in the region;• Once a year a joint Baltic region meeting of all interested

partners should be organised;• Migrant workers after coming back may become the

active members in TUs;• East-Baltic-Nordic tripartite co-operation should be

encouraged.