18 March, 2011The Association of Free Trade Union of Slovenia, including IMF-affiliated SKEI, are protesting against the Slovenian government's attempts to introduce a new for of precarious work and call for protest letters in solidarity.
SLOVENIA: The International Metalworkers' Federation joins with the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (AFTUS) in calling for letters of protest in the face of the Slovenian government's plans to bring into force a new form of precarious work, which will substantially reduce workers' rights.
The Slovenia government is proposing new legislation that would allow the unemployed, students and pensioners up to 60 hours per week and 720 hours per year of employment but with less rights, such as lower pay, no reimbursement of work-related costs (meals during work, travel to and from work, business trips), no remuneration for sick leave or parental leave, no holiday allowance, no severance pay and no annual holidays.
"We are certain that enforcement of this form of work will increase precarious work, decrease employment for indefinite time (which is the rule today) or fixed-term employment (which should be an exception but is becoming a rule), increase social exclusion and poverty, all in the name of better competitiveness," writes the AFTUS:
"It will particularly affect women and workers in service sector. We are certain that this form of work will become a cheap and administratively uncomplicated substitute for contractual employment and it will rather be a wall instead of a bridge to a better paid and socially more secure job in the future," AFTUS says.
In defense of workers' rights, the AFTUS collected more than 40,000 signatures of support for a referendum, that will be on April 10, 2011, and is conducting a public campaign on the issue. However they are facing strong opposition after the government adopted changes to the country's Elections and Referendum Campaign Act enabling it to use is 100,000.00 EUR of its campaign, which is three times higher than the trade unions budget.
"AFTUS strongly opposes enforcement of this new form of precarious work, which will substantially reduce worker's rights. We urge you to support our efforts and send your protest letters to Slovenian Prime Minister, to Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and to President of National Assembly."
In its letter to the Slovenian government the IMF called on the Slovenian government to discontinue with its plans to deny workers their rights by introducing a new form of precarious work.
"Your plans to restrict the employment rights of the unemployed, students and pensioners will inevitably undermine permanent employment, prevent families from planning for their future, widen the gap between rich and poor, and will affect women and young people the most," said IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina.
IMF affiliates are urged to send letters of protest against this new form or precarious work to:
Mr Borut Pahor
Prime Minister
Government of the Republic of Slovenia
Gregorčičeva 20, 25
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: +386 1 478 16 07
Ivan Svetlik, Ph.D.
Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs
Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs
Kotnikova 5
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: +386 1 369 78 32
Pavel Gantar, Ph.D.
President of National Assembly
National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia
Šubičeva ulica 4
1102 Ljubljana
Slovenia
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: +386 1 478 94 45
Please send copies of your protest to the following e-mail or fax number:
AFTUS e-mail: [email protected]
Fax: + 386 1 231 72 98