Trade unions: Working conditions getting worse

TOO few holidays, poor compensation for employees suffering from diseases related to their work and cost cutting at the expense of staff are among the main problems faced by employees in Slovakia, according to a Trade Union Confederation (KOZ) report published on April 28.

(Source: Sme- Ján Krošlák)

“Employers are highly critical of how difficult it is to do business in Slovakia, but nobody has dealt with how tough it is to work in Slovakia yet,” KOZ President Jozef Kollár said at a press conference, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

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The report found that women have more problems in finding work than men, and that they also receive worse remuneration.

“It’s evident that companies are reducing their costs at the expense of staff,” said Kollár, as quoted by TASR.

It’s also emerged that certain companies offer excessively low salaries. The Labour Code allows for the negotiation of better conditions in collective treaties. Negotiated conditions above what the law requires are not sufficient, however, according to Kollár.

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In addition, KOZ wants to see working hours reduced. When some companies reduce them, they do not admit that it's due to an unfair burden on their employees, describing it as a perk instead. The report also noted that only 300 people a year are compensated for suffering from diseases related to their work.

“This is too few. There are many hidden diseases, and also those that haven’t been evaluated as such,” said Kollár, as quoted by TASR. “People also acquire mental problems at work.”

KOZ also focused on the situation concerning severance pay. Employees tend to put pressure on employees to sign a mutually agreed resignation in order not to have to pay severance, according to the KOZ chief.

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