EIROnlineThe European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) is a monitoring instrument offering news and analysis on European industrial relations. Its aim is to collect, analyse and disseminate high-quality and up-to-date information on key developments in industrial relations in Europe. It aims primarily to serve the needs of national and European level organisations of the social partners, governmental organisations and EU institutions.Situation of economically dependent workers- February 19, 2007 The boundaries between dependent employment and self-employment have increasingly become blurred in some sectors in recent years, in a context of changing labour markets and the spread of practices such as outsourcing and contracting-out. This process has led to a growing interest in economically dependent workers workers who are formally self-employed but depend on a single employer for their income. In Latvia, little use is made of economically dependent work, as the concept is not...http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/11/articles/lv0611029i.html Labour Law amendments include ban on discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation- February 12, 2007 New amendments to the Labour Law came into force on 25 October 2006. The amendments clarify the provision of the law on the prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation; this provision was questioned by the state president in June 2006. The amendments also introduce a number of changes put forward by the Latvian Employers Confederation and the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia. Among other matters, these modifications increase protection against unfavourable...http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/11/articles/lv0611019i.html National opera musicians threaten strike action over low wages- February 12, 2007 On 13 November 2006, the independent trade union of the orchestra of the Latvian National Opera submitted an application to initiate strike action to the Latvian National Opera Director, the Director of the State Labour Inspectorate and the National Tripartite Cooperation Council. The musicians were lobbying for a substantial wage increase. The Latvian National Opera Orchestra threatened not to participate in scheduled opera and ballet performances in November if their demands were not met.http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/12/articles/lv0612039i.html New agreement provides wage increase for police employees- February 5, 2007 Latvias government and police trade unions have signed an agreement on wage increases for employees in the police service. The agreement provides for improving the system of wages and social guarantees for Interior Ministry employees and prison officers, as well as facilitating the work of law enforcement institutions and ensuring staff retention. The agreement is the latest step in an industrial relations process aimed at improving working conditions in the state police force which began in...http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/10/articles/lv0610029i.html |