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<< atgalThe first collective agreement in the trade sector

2009-12-17

This year's 16th of December will enter into the history: this day first collective agreement in the trade sector is signed. After more than one year of bargaining UAB ‘Rimi Lietuva’ CEO Tony Holmberg and supermarket chain trade union chairman Pavelas Kaplevskis signed it.

Kaplevskis, as well as branch trade union - Lithuanian service workers' trade union (LPSDPS) - chairman Aleksandras Posochovas (photo first from left) welcomes that with the agreement the ‘ice was broken’ and it is an example and proof that it is possible to agree with the supermarket owners.

According to P. Kaplevskis (second from left), bargaining for the collective agreement began last autumn and it had been signed already in the summer, if not the new Labor Code amendments. "By the Rimi management initiative negotiations resumed, new terms negotiated, and now finally contract signed" - he said.

Rimi trade union chairman said that as each negotiation, it was pretty intense: each side trying to win something useful for yourself, but it was pretty smooth, "We certainly have no complains for Rimi management: they allowed to come for negotiations during work time and we received significant help from them".

In collective agreement, in addition to the general all companies’ related points are included trade sector specific issues. For example, for the cashiers during the trial period specific amount of cash register shortcomings is foreseen, which will not be deducted from their salary. 

"Everything had to start from scratch, but now we have the basis for the future development and we start to think about bigger achievements for the employees" - shared P. Kaplevskis about future plans. In the future is expected to initiate and creation of labour wages system.

In trade sector wage calculation is not clearly regulated, dominant premiums pay, which the supermarket managers are sometimes manipulate.  Rimi union chairman said, if unable to agree at the company level, he would together with LPSDPS initiate legislation on the wages system at national level.

In LPSDPS chairman A. Posochovas view, success in the negotiations came to a large extent due to the fact that ‘Rimi Lietuva’ is a unit of multinational company ‘Ahold’. “International trade union movement, when the trade unions of various countries assist each other, allows problems solution in more sophisticated way. This cannot be said about the Lithuanian capital supermarket chains – ‘Norfa’ or ‘Maxima’ - which simply ignores the trade unions and trying to disrupt their formation, "- commented Mr. Posochovas.

In Latvia ‘Rimi’ supermarket chain has signed collective agreement a year before, according to chairman, Latvian colleagues have helped Lithuanians a lot in negotiations with the administration.

"I hope that trade unions will be founded also in other trading centers, and try to initiate collective bargaining" - A. Posochovas expressed hope.

 

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