In Slovakia people protest against the new Labour Code

Confederation of Trade Unions of Slovakia announced its commentaries on the new Labour Code that is to be signed by the government. Representatives of trade unions intend to prevent the adoption of the new Code in the version prepared by the government.

The new Labor Code has provoked great criticism from the SCTU, since according to the unions it provides for more stringent measures on hiring and firing of workers, which take greater account of the interests of employers rather than employees.

Trade unions protest, particularly, against the changes of probation for hiring. Currently probationary period before the work in Slovakia is 3 months. In the new Code this figure up to 6 months. Also right-infringing upon employees was called the new scheme of dismissal, on which the period of notification of dismissal is reduced to one month.

SCTU also insists on maintaining the same level of wages while reducing the working week for 5 hours, according to the Slovak news agency SITA.

At the same time, representatives of the Slovak government claimed that for the negotiation process on the new Code are created all conditions and that the Confederation of Trade Unions should comment on the new rules using standard mechanisms. According to the Prime Minister of Slovakia Iveta Radichova, the negotiation process has not yet ended within a specially created tripartite group involving representatives of labour collectives and government officials.

In turn, Confederation of Trade Unions of Slovakia said that in the near future it intends to bring the question of the Labour Code to a national referendum. In addition, the union representatives informed of the intention to hold a protest throughout Slovakia, including Bratislava, on the square in front of the Government of Slovakia. Meetings are scheduled for mid-March.