Lithuania: trade unions still see light at the end of the tunnel

ENAlthough the independent trade unions of Lithuania have faced many unfavourable circumstances throughout their existence, they have not only survived, but have also managed in some areas to secure or even expand their positions during the past few decades. These conditions include the LRTT, which ensures the participation of union confeder ations in key decision-making in the labour market and related areas. As the LRTT, as well as its functions, rights and responsibilities are laid down in Lithuanian legislation, its role is expected to remain significant in the future, irrespective of the ruling party. EU support for the develop ment of social dialogue and active union cooperation with trade unions in Europe and neighbouring countries also strengthen Lithuanian unions. The fact that membership fees are not the only source of revenues for the largest trade union confederations to a certain extent makes them less dependent on fluctuating membership and enables them to remain active at the national level. New unions, such as G1PS, may also play an important role, as they are focused on a completely new model of activity that is equally suitable for both traditional and new forms of employment. Trade unions have also found some success in their significant and constantly growing role in the public sector. They recently achieved a breakthrough in the content and coverage of collective bargaining in the public sector and are likely to maintain it in the future. Unions expect that their success in the public sector will have a positive impact on col lective bargaining in the private sector as well. According to the newest information from the Ministry of Social Security and Labour (MSSL, 2022), collective bargaining coverage in 2021 reached 25 per cent; the majority of covered employees work in the public sector.Given all the aforementioned challenges that Lithuanian trade unions have overcome – the transformation of the economy after the collapse of the Soviet Union, growing inequality, the poor image of unions and low public trust in them, high emigration flows, strict regulation of employ ment relationships and often insufficient union flexibility in adapting to the new and changing labour environment – Visser’s marginaliza tion scenario should be rejected. After overcoming all these challenges Lithuanian unions were hardly likely to step back when they became significant actors in both national and European industrial relations sys tems. Recent trends have demonstrated some revitalization, although this involves mainly positive developments in public sector industrial rela tions. Thus the dualization scenario is more likely to prevail in future Lithuanian trade union development than the substitution scenario. In Lithuania, the dualist cleavage is likely remain, with strong and fairly powerful trade unions in the public sector, especially in education, health and social care, some parts of the civil service and municipal adminis trations. Company size is important: industrial relations remain weak or almost absent in small companies and more important in large com panies, especially those with old industrial relations traditions (examples may be found in the food industry, electricity and water supply, and transport services).This trend is further strengthened by the fact that, although plat form work, as well as other new forms of employment are growing in Lithuania, as already mentioned the trade union confederations focus their attention and recruitment strategies not on the new, but rather on ‘traditional’, large industries (including social work, culture, civil service, retail trade). [Extract, p. 725-726]