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Description
The aim of this project was to develop long-term bilateral cooperation network between three Norwegian and five Lithuanian organizations to strengthen tripartite cooperation between employers organizations, trade unions and public authorities transferring good experience from Norway to Lithuania to enhance the implementation of the decent work agenda: raise awareness on health and safety issues and enforcement of labour law and the fight against work-related crime in transport sector of Lithuania.
The project aimed to improve working conditions in Lithuania''s transport sector through a bilateral cooperation network with Norwegian partners. The initiative addressed significant issues such as poor working conditions, health and safety challenges, illegal practices, and low awareness of workers'' rights in Lithuania''s transport sector. By leveraging Norwegian best practices, the project sought to enhance the enforcement of labour laws and combat work-related crime.
The project involved a set of activities, including joint training sessions, international conferences, and awareness campaigns. These activities were designed to raise awareness among employers, trade union members, and labor inspectors about decent work, work-life balance, non-discrimination, and health and safety issues. The project also aimed to strengthen tripartite cooperation between employers, trade unions, and public authorities, fostering a collaborative approach to improving working conditions.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several significant issues in Lithuania''s transport sector, including poor working conditions, health and safety challenges, illegal practices, and low awareness of workers'' rights. The sector faced high levels of undeclared work, non-compliance with labor laws, and a lack of social dialogue between employers, employees, and public authorities. These challenges resulted in unsafe working environments and a high incidence of work-related crime.
the project implemented a comprehensive set of activities. These included organizing joint training sessions on health, safety, and decent work issues for social partners and labour inspectors, conducting international conferences at the beginning and end of the project to discuss the implementation of decent work, and running awareness campaigns to educate the broader society on decent work principles. The project also facilitated round table discussions to enhance tripartite dialogue among employers, employees, and public authorities, hosted expert training sessions in Norway to transfer best practices to Lithuanian partners and established a long-term bilateral cooperation network between Lithuanian and Norwegian organizations to ensure ongoing collaboration and information exchange.
The project achieved several important outcomes. It improved social dialogue and cooperation by strengthening cross-border inter-institutional cooperation between Lithuania and Norway, enhancing mutual trust and respect between employees and employers. The project also enhanced the implementation of the decent work agenda, ensuring fair and dignified working conditions and preventing unlawful actions by employers. Recommendations on improving decent work arrangements were developed and refined, and presented to the Lithuanian government. A network of cooperation was established, involving three Norwegian and five Lithuanian social partner organizations and state institutions. The project raised awareness and understanding of decent work principles among social partners, the broader society, and relevant stakeholders through awareness campaigns and communication tools. It also improved the knowledge and practical realization of decent work principles for 200 employers, trade union members, and labor inspectors through 20 training sessions. Additionally, the project increased awareness and understanding of the Lithuanian transport sector''s situation, recognizing common violations of decent work principles, and applying Norwegian best practices to more than 300 target group members through international conferences, round table discussions, and expert training.
The beneficiaries of these outcomes included employers, trade union members, labor inspectors, and the broader society in both Lithuania and Norway. The project played a crucial role in addressing long-standing issues in the Lithuanian transport sector and laid the foundation for ongoing bilateral cooperation to improve working conditions and social dialogue.
Summary of bilateral results
For many years Lithuania''s transport sector has faced issues such as improperly accounted and compensated work, especially for employees traveling on secondments to other countries, including Norway, unpaid leave without employees'' consent, violations of work and rest time regulations, among others. The partnership between Lithuanian and Norwegian institutions has provided a strong impetus and significantly contributed to addressing these long-standing, critical issues in Lithuania’s transport sector. This collaboration has also raised awareness on health and safety issues, enforcement of labor laws, and the fight against work-related crime. By applying the knowledge, best practices, and tested approaches of the Norwegian partners, there has been a determined effort to transform the situation in Lithuania’s transport sector. The project partnership has strengthened interinstitutional cooperation among Lithuanian institutions - the project promoter and partners, has helped to understand the importance of acting together. Additionally, potential future cooperation guidelines and forms of activities have been outlined.