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LABOR BILL: TRADE UNIONS VS. GOVERNMENT
news.am
June 17 2010
Armenia
On June 22, the RA Parliament will discuss a bill, which is expected
to worsen employees' working conditions.
The Government-drafted amendments to the RA Labor Code run counter
to the trilateral collective agreement signed with the Confederation
of Armenian Trade Unions and Union of Employers of Armenia, Shmavon
Lazarian, Chairman of Association of Trade Unions of Sales Workers,
Public Catering Enterprises and Business Companies, told NEWS.am.
Specifically, the aforementioned agreement obliges the signors to
improve both the business environment and employees' social conditions.
The draft amendments, however, show the Government is concerned over
the business environment rather than over workers' social conditions.
According to Lazarian, the Government-planned amendments to the
RA Labor Code will even worsen employees' unenviable conditions to
"please" employers.
Lazarian asked a rhetorical question: what is the country's priority
- favorable conditions for business environment or protection of
employees? In fact, employees are defenseless "at employers' hands."
The scandalous point on "verbal contracts" has been removed under trade
unions' pressure. Lazarian pointed out that at the latest discussion
of the document by the Committee of Social Affairs, RA Parliament,
trade unions managed to "convince" MPs of the inadvisability and
grave consequences of verbal contracts.
However, Lazarian is not sure that the Parliament will not discuss
the point at its next sitting. Even without this point, the amendments
the Government has been drafting since last March, in absolute secrecy
(trade unions were informed of it moths later) need serious revision.
Lazarian, as well as his colleagues, share the opinion that the
planned radical amendments to the RA Labor Code must be submitted to
public discussions and, if approved, to Parliament.
From: A. Papazian
news.am
June 17 2010
Armenia
On June 22, the RA Parliament will discuss a bill, which is expected
to worsen employees' working conditions.
The Government-drafted amendments to the RA Labor Code run counter
to the trilateral collective agreement signed with the Confederation
of Armenian Trade Unions and Union of Employers of Armenia, Shmavon
Lazarian, Chairman of Association of Trade Unions of Sales Workers,
Public Catering Enterprises and Business Companies, told NEWS.am.
Specifically, the aforementioned agreement obliges the signors to
improve both the business environment and employees' social conditions.
The draft amendments, however, show the Government is concerned over
the business environment rather than over workers' social conditions.
According to Lazarian, the Government-planned amendments to the
RA Labor Code will even worsen employees' unenviable conditions to
"please" employers.
Lazarian asked a rhetorical question: what is the country's priority
- favorable conditions for business environment or protection of
employees? In fact, employees are defenseless "at employers' hands."
The scandalous point on "verbal contracts" has been removed under trade
unions' pressure. Lazarian pointed out that at the latest discussion
of the document by the Committee of Social Affairs, RA Parliament,
trade unions managed to "convince" MPs of the inadvisability and
grave consequences of verbal contracts.
However, Lazarian is not sure that the Parliament will not discuss
the point at its next sitting. Even without this point, the amendments
the Government has been drafting since last March, in absolute secrecy
(trade unions were informed of it moths later) need serious revision.
Lazarian, as well as his colleagues, share the opinion that the
planned radical amendments to the RA Labor Code must be submitted to
public discussions and, if approved, to Parliament.
From: A. Papazian