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26 April, 2000Two metalworkers' unions are creating one organisation to represent their interests.
ESTONIA: On April 24, 2000, the IMF's two affiliated metalworkers' unions in Estonia -- the EMTA (Estonian Metalworkers' Union) and the EMTAL (Association of Estonian Metalworkers' Trade Unions) -- announced they would form the Estonian Metalworkers' Federation (EMF). The decision to create one federation representing Estonian metalworkers' interests was taken at a congress in the country's capital, Tallinn. Serving as president of the new organisation will be Endel Soon, and vice-president, Ljubov Serova.
The EMTA is 58 per cent Estonian-speaking and has 1,800 members, and the EMTAL is Russian-speaking, with 3,300 members. There are 18,000 metalworkers in the country.
Although the changeover from the former communist planned economy to a capitalist market economy brought with it a contraction of Estonian industry, and a decrease in trade union membership, trade unions are now assuming a new, more independent role and building up their membership. Their main targets are organising, trade union education and communication.
The EMTA is 58 per cent Estonian-speaking and has 1,800 members, and the EMTAL is Russian-speaking, with 3,300 members. There are 18,000 metalworkers in the country.
Although the changeover from the former communist planned economy to a capitalist market economy brought with it a contraction of Estonian industry, and a decrease in trade union membership, trade unions are now assuming a new, more independent role and building up their membership. Their main targets are organising, trade union education and communication.