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Description
The context of the project is the need for a stronger social dialogue in Lithuania, including at regional and sectoral level. Building trust between social partners is important for creating a good environment for negotiating collective bargaining agreements.
This project, which is carried out by one of the largest trade union confederations in Lithuania, the National Official Trade Union Confederation (NPPSS), addresses these issues, in cooperation with the Norwegian trade union Fagforbundet. The project focuses on strengthening social dialogue through capacity-building of employees and employers, and by developing a social partnership with the Fire and rescue department (PAGD) and Environmental protection department (AAD).
Activities included training sessions in Vilnius and five other cities for a total of 160 participants, a workshop on collective agreements, round table conferences and leadership training. A study trip was organized to Norway for a smaller group and a final conference gathered 160 participants in Vilnius.
Summary of project results
The "Better Social Dialogue - Better Work" project aimed to address several key issues and challenges. Primarily, it sought to enhance social dialogue and cooperation between employers and employees in Lithuania, where there was a lack of trust and tradition for effective social dialogue. The project also aimed to improve the quality of social partnerships and develop a basis for future collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, it intended to address the need for better communication and mutual respect between social partners, which are crucial for fostering a positive working environment and reducing social tensions.
Despite some delays and changes during the pandemic, the project exceeded the expected outcomes. One important result is that the tripartite cooperation at national level has been strengthened as NPPSS participates in the negotiation group for the National collective agreement and in important consultations with different ministries. At the moment, the level of trust between social partners is quite high, but trust is vulnerable and depends on the political climate.
The project included more than ten consultations and meetings between trade unions and institutions, including the National confederation of officials trade unions, the Fire and rescue department under the Ministry of the Interior, the Environmental protection department under the Ministry of the Environment, the Fire and rescue trade union, and the Lithuanian environment protection workers’ trade union. In total, more than 160 representatives of these employers’ and employee’s organisations were trained on social dialogue and collective agreements. This raised their skills for entering into negotiations on future collective agreements.
The project achieved significant results, benefiting both employers and employees. It led to higher levels of trust between social partners, smoother communication, and a greater tendency towards compromise. The development of frameworks for future collective bargaining agreements was another key outcome. Participants reported that the activities were highly useful and practically applicable, leading to increased respect and mutual understanding. For NPPSS, the project was particularly valuable as it provided an opportunity to learn good practices from Norwegian partners Fagforbundet and KS, enhancing the overall quality of social dialogue in Lithuania. Through these efforts, the project made meaningful progress in strengthening the relationship between employers and employees, ultimately fostering better working conditions.
Summary of bilateral results
The Norwegian partners took part in all phases of the project from the concept phase, development of material, participation in meetings and webinars, and organised the study trip. NPPSS highligthed that they learned about the high level of trust between the Norwegian social partners.