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<< atgalSlavery thriving in Carriers guild

2010-01-15

Even Carriers lawyers recognize that subsistence allowance amounts that long-distance drivers receive are uncertain.
Carriers same legislation understand one way, the drivers - otherwise. Its name respecting carrier companies pay a daily subsistence allowance in advance, however, according to trade union data, a third of companies abusing this rule.
Article from Valstieciu laikrastis

Fateful coincidence

 

For three decades a driver Rimantas Zabarauskas was praised and considered to be exemplary worker. This was till he had sufficient patience to pretend not to notice, as he says, exploitation. However, in the summer of 2009 Rimantas patience cup was filled to the brim, and a man couldn’t resist anymore. According to the man, the company simply abusing the situation. Salary was reduced to 1050 litas; he did not receive even half of the daily subsistence allowance. After 54 days spent on a working trip he returned home, not only without making anything - even with a loss. "I realized that alone couldn’t change it, so decided to create a trade union. And then was told that it will bounce back in a hard way"- says Mr. Zabarauskas.

Rimantas founded trade union organisation in the company "Finėjas" on 11 July of last year. Already on October 5th he received first-strike (note). After a dozen or so days he have been delivered on the same note, and on October 21 the man was dismissed from work. Maybe this is just a coincidence? UAB Finėjas' commercial director Aidas Plaščinskas told to "Valstiečių laikraštis”, that 'R. Zabarauskas was punished for gross violations of labor discipline"- said the Director, but did not disclose the content of it.

 

Conflict reminded crackdown

 

Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK) Kaunas Regional Center chairman Ramunas Narbutas doubts such claims: "Labour Code and Article 134 of the Trade Unions Act ensures that trade union members of the elected body before issuing him disciplinary sanctions requires the prior elected body of trade unions confirmation."

"Who breach labor discipline: they or I? I was sent for the whole month to work in EU countries, but after returned received a salary of 1050 Litas before taxes and no daily allowance. The company paid only 400 Litas, but it is not calculated as daily allowance”. I didn’t sign it that I received it"- says Mr. Zabarauskas.

 

Secret trade union membership

 

LPSK Kaunas Regional Center chairman R. Narbutas said that he knows many cases where long-distance drivers daily allowance is not paid. If paid, just when you go for another trip. This way companies try to keep drivers. If you leave the job daily allowances neither are nor paid. Why? All kinds of reasons. "In my knowledge, company’s debt to some of the drivers for the daily allowance reach up to 10 thousand Litas. By the way, the driver would loose it if company goes bankrupt. Such a mess is in a third of carriers companies "- says Mr. Narbutas. It is true that very often salaries reduced and per diem evaporates not to all drivers, but only to those who join trade unions. Of course, this dependency is not approved officially. However, more and more people agree to join a trade union only in secret - in the workplace nobody knows about his membership.

 

Albinas Čaplikas

Valstiečių laikraštis

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