Elektrilevi workers to take labor dispute to Estonia's public conciliator
Representing workers of the Estonian distribution network operator (DNO) Elektrilevi, the Northern Power Networks Trade Union (PEV AÜ) failed to achieve a collective agreement with Elektrilevi in talks, prompting the union to take the labor dispute to the public conciliator instead.
Union chair Liilia Peramets said that the labor dispute isn't over a disagreement on any specific issue, but rather the employer's general unwillingness to sign a collective agreement.
"Talks didn't even get as far as deliberating the project presented by the trade unions; discussed instead was why a company should have a collective agreement in the first place," Peramets recalled.
According to the chair, the union was forced to propose terminating negotiations without having reached an agreement, and the employer agreed to the proposal.
Association of Estonian Energetics Workers Trade Unions (EEAÜL) chair Sander Vaikma said that it is extremely unfortunate that the employer doesn't understand the meaning and importance of a collective agreement or value the good labor relations that come with it.
Vaikma confirmed that efforts will continue toward the conclusion of a collective agreement.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
