Unions show new muscle in wage stand-off

  • 2007-01-17
  • By Joel Alas
TALLINN - A planned strike by doctors and health care workers was averted after last-minute negotiations between trade unions, employers and government ministries.

Nearly all of Estonia's health care sector was due to grind to a halt on Jan. 17, as doctors and nurses demanded immediate pay increases to bring them into line with European standards 's as much as 60 percent in the case of doctors.
Although the government and private employers offered medical workers increases of up to 44 percent over two years, the amount was deemed to be inadequate.

A widespread strike was due to commence in Tallinn on Jan. 17, affecting all arms of health care, both public and private. If demands were not met as a result of the strike, unions said action would spread nationwide.
Family doctors were due to join the strike with their own action on Jan. 22. Other unions 's including rail workers, pilots and seamen - were due to launch their own strikes in February to show solidarity with health workers.

However, health workers backed down late on Jan. 16, agreeing to give employers more time to consider their offer.
The strike threat has displayed the growing power of employees in Estonia's economy, and positions trade unions in a new position of strength.

Trade unionism involvement in Estonia is among the lowest in the EU. Only about 14 percent of workers belong to a trade union, largely due to the events of independence and the perceived links between unions and the old Soviet system.
Tiia Edith Tammeleht, legal secretary for the Estonian Confederation of Trade Unions, said the planned action was the first major union activity in years.

"This is the first time in recent history that we have had such a wide sectoral action. It shows that unions are becoming stronger, and that workers have more power," Tammeleht told The Baltic Times.

She said there were still many advances to be made, particularly in the case of public servants, who are denied the right to strike.
Andres Vurk, a research fellow at Tartu University's Institute of Economics, said unions were historically inactive in Estonia.
"This is quite unusual. We have had a few cases of workers striking in the past, but they have not been so widespread," Vurk said. "Labor union activity in Estonia is quite low. It is below the EU average, and it is one of the lowest in the new member states. That is related to the Communist period. People felt unions were part of the Soviet state system.

"However, there are elections coming up, and some of the politicians claim that it is not only the doctors, but also in the interest of some opposition parties," he added.
Health workers will return to negotiations with government officials and employers on Jan. 19, with a committee of union representatives and workers putting their case to employers.

They have demanded that doctors receive a minimum of 110 kroons (7 euros) per hour, nurses 60 kroons and care personnel 32 kroons. Government officials and employers have answered their demands with an offer of 90 kroons an hour for doctors, 46.8 kroons for nurses and 27.6 kroons for care personnel.
In a public statement, the strike committee said Estonia's robust economic growth had not been reflected in investments in health care.

"Estonia has the shortest average lifespan and lowest ratio of health spending to GDP among European Union member states," the committee statement said. "A large number of our young medics leave to work abroad."
A Social Ministry spokeswoman said there was no room in the budget to meet the demands.
"The doctors wanted so much more than we have in the budget that our minister asked the cabinet for more funding," the spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, hospital administrators have expressed concerns that any strike action could affect patient health.
Hospitals were due to stop receiving patients for scheduled treatment, but unions guaranteed that skeleton staff would be on hand to deal with emergency aid.