The labor code was passed by a vote of 50 to 26 with 6 lawmakers abstaining. If the president signs the bill, it will come into force on Jan. 1, 2003.
Among other things, the new code bans employers and employees from concluding contracts for a fixed period of time if the employment is permanent.
The code contains more than 300 articles, covers collective and individual labor relations, collective employment contracts, collective labor disputes, working hours, wages, material responsibility, work safety and health, and other labor-related issues.
The Liberal Union objected to a proposal to forbid employees to work more than 40 hours per week, or 48 hours with overtime, claiming such restrictions limit opportunities to earn extra money.
On the eve of Parliament's decision, Adamkus also criticized the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and Social Liberals for plans to pass this labor code.
"I am sure that many people will have a hiccup when they will discover that it is obligatory for them to abide by collective agreements, work only on the basis of indefinite-period contracts and work limited hours," Liberal MP Gintaras Steponavicius, de-puty chairman of the Parlia-ment, said during parliamentary debate.
His wife Guoda Steponaviciene, vice president of the Lithuanian Free Market Insti-tute, shares his opinion. "Such a strict labor code might force businessmen to move their business to Kaliningrad and other countries with cheaper work force and less regulations on labor relations. It would mean less opportunity for our people to work and earn money," she said.
The Social Security and Labor Ministry had drafted the labor code to comply with requirement to harmonize Lithuania's labor-related laws with EU legislation.
If signed into law, the new labor code will replace the Soviet-era code passed in 1971.
The ruling Social Democrats defended the new code, saying it meets EU requirements and defends average workers.
"Already in 1890, workers in the United States, Sweden, Russia and Lithuania were demanding an eight-hour work day. If an employer needs more work done, he should not ask an employee for extra working hours, he should create a new work place and hire one more person," said Social Democrat lawmaker Algirdas Sysas. "The employee is always weaker than the employer. This code defends the employee."
Sysas also said the new code was, in some ways, more liberal than the one it replaced.
"According to the old laws, and employee could be fired only when he did not show up at work, abused alcohol on the job, or failed to perform his tasks," he said. "Now, the employer can fire an employee if he thinks that his company's business interests require it. And that's it."
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