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<< atgalEmployers have shown their true face

2010-06-03

Previously, due to the lack of labor force, the employers have declared support for social dialogue, but then the recession came, so employers often tries to get rid of trade unions as an impediment "to make a profit" at any price. When crisis came,, also called the major challenges of the times, employers have shown their true face - says the Lithuanian service sector workers' trade union chairman Alexander Posochovas.

Three largest Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK) and still relatively "young" the President talked to the union to find out how workers' representative shall have such a complex sector, which before the crisis was not very easy to reach agreement with employers.

How has the employer's position towards the unions have changed if they know that “outside the fence” hundreds are waiting for work?

Even before the crisis I had a principle: the trade union is not reaching into the employer's profits, but will not assume responsibility when crisis comes. For us were most important to present our member as a loyal employee to companies. 

Unfortunately, employers when crisis comes seeing an opportunity to “play” with labour market when hundreds of thousands waiting at the labor exchange for job, they started to push trade union movement. For employers, trade unions are an obstacle, which try to go around, because they try to reduce employee's salary at any cost. As "G4S Lithuania" leaders said to me straight: "the trade union will interfere with an employer profits." Therefore, dissemination of different gossip of this "interference" are made trying to discredit the workers' movement.

Unfortunately, the Government contributes to it. Justice Minister Remigijus Šimašius expressed the need to significantly liberalize the labor code. The idea is to impose a liberal position: the individual employer and employee agreements should dominate.

However, we know that these two parts are at very different positions: an employer has the power and money, the employee is the only way to defend themselves - to be in trade union and thus defend their common interests.

Unfortunately, today I do not see any party that can speak, how to help people that he could live under these conditions. Under crisis is doing everything that everything would be "good" only for business. But in reality, they just try further restrict hired employee.

The biggest evil (this is why so often the people leave Lithuania) - contempt to people in the country. Although the family, the human rights values are declared, but people need to feel safe, knowing that if necessary they will be defended the law. Currently even Labour Inspectorate got an order - God forbid! - Do not interfere with the business.

I think that if businessman doesn’t know how to create a business, let it go bankrupt, the "niche" will never be left unoccupied. For ordinary person doesn’t matter who will be his employer - from Belarus, Africa or America - it is important that they would receive decent wages, good working conditions.

But how about the trade unions? Don’t they have any leverage to resist the arbitrariness of employers and of the government, which encourages it?

It depends on ourselves. To the government is very profitable to have split trade union movement. It happy to use that. Now we see K. Juknis, A. Dambrauskas, A. Bruzas and V. Bakas led unions. They oppose with another block – “Solidarumas”, Labor federation, LPSK. Opposing each other they give to media food for scandal and in society it forms a negative view of trade unions.

However, you must always remember one thing that trade union is not just leaders, they are members, the man who united with others to fight for their rights. Unfortunately, some leaders became another "boss" for the people.

If leaders are not satisfying members’ expectations, we cannot say that the trade unions are bad. If members consider that the leaders did not act in the way they want, then they have the right to change them. 

This year we will have our third congress and I constantly stress to our members of the trade union: if we begin to walk down another road, then blame the chairman or maybe the Board, therefore, there is a need to replace them, but not to say that the trade union is malfunctioning.

When a person feels responsible for the organization, and he itself becomes meaningful, dignified, he senses to be a part of society. And now - all waiting for the Messiah, all fear ...

Twenty years we fail to understand that the trade union does not have a drag behind the business, but to use what the business is already invented. Trade unions must change, each manager should investigate the situation and look for new actions methods. Unfortunately, some of our branches are like ponds.

Maybe members do not need lively organization?

Much depends on the leaders at all levels. I do not know why the Lithuanian people are more accustomed to drift than to fight for their rights, to seek a better life. Unfortunately, the easiest way is chosen - to leave a country.

Do foreign-owned companies treat its workers more civilized way?

Foreign companies, however, begin to align to our local employers, who pay the salaries in "envelope" and just looking for ways to cheat the state.

In order to combat the informal economy trade unions perform a positive role, because wherever they are wages, and labor relations are more transparent. After all, their presence could be the evaluation criteria for the participation of enterprises in public procurement.

Unfortunately the government itself apparently is not interested in that too. Look how bonus system additionally to salaries are spread in the ministries, parliament. After all, it is laundering!

What is our future?

My colleagues call me a chronic optimist. I would not work in trade union if not think about the future. I think it is promising to create a different civil society.

Our organization has a lot of young people, I like it, see a prospect in them. Only sometimes I notice that young people have become trade union leaders, and suddenly become “outdated,"- they stop SEARCHING. Overall, I think in the union movement we do not really have practice to highlight best practices from colleagues, which we have.

Why now, when overall decline in trade union membership, how come you grow?

Because we are talking with people like I am now with you. We not promise them what we cannot do. If there is a problem – we gather and discuss. Even get angry on each other, if necessary, but we find the solutions regardless of whether the problems encountered ordinary member, the head of sector or shopsteward. Then we take agreed actions.

All complain about the difficulty to find shopstewards. Do you find?

We find them, because we discuss, we are looking for them. Elsewhere there are situations that  they gather, talk and walk away. And we are discussing in real sense of the word. Even myself sometimes I come with categorical view, but often change it ...

What sectors are most problematic?

Security sector, mainly because there is  the human factor. This is not the production and not sales. In times of economic prosperity in this sector wages were higher, but now they are falling -  so comes conflict of interest. Especially when there is high unemployment.

And the commercial sector?

It has been always very problematic - there are unfortunately no changes. Employers and employees continue to behave drastically, but now people's behavior has changed: bigger fear of losing job. It is a pity that people in this sector are the least organized.

Bad service also make some of the populist trade unions, promoting direct membership. I am against it, because then at places they don’t create strong organization, with its leaders. I agree, at the beginning of creation may be a direct branch membership, but once the core is formed - a legal entity in the company should be created.

Security company "Ekskomisarų biuras" for some time has classified (hidden) membership, but when there were sufficient numbers of members we have established an organization. Bad example is Norfa supermarket chain, where everything is done not to let local trade union to be found. Individual members eventually succumb to various kinds of pressure.

Interviewed R.Motiejūnaitė-Pekkinen

„Lietuvos profsąjungos“ ("Lithuanian trade unions") 2010 No. 5

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