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Do the trade unions engage in specific activities recruiting or supporting/defending the rights of migrants groups?

Code:
RED58
Key Area:
Employment
Strand(s):
Racism
19/12/2011 - 15:21
Short Answer

Yes, the trade union which is most active in Slovenia in relation to migrant workers is the Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia.

Qualitative Info

The Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia is a trade union with the most visible activities aimed at support to migrant workers. Their activities include raising awareness of the public on the effects of economic crisis on migrant workers, on the violation of labour and social rights of migrant workers, providing advice for them and commenting on policy measures in this field. Since 2010 the Union is implementing a project in cooperation with an NGO Slovene Philanthropy titled ‘Integration package for unemployed migrants, refugees and asylum seekers’. The project enabled the employment, training and empowerment of advocates for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees who advise unemployed individuals from these groups in relation to their labour rights and support them in their search for new employment. The project also includes study visits and networking with trade unions working with migrant workers in other European states. Within this project the Union is issuing a monthly bilingual (in Slovenian and Bosnian) Migration Newsletter which includes information on useful information for the migrant workers, latest legislative and policy developments in this field and data on violations of the rights of migrant workers. 

 

Confederation of trade unions of Slovenia Pergam is carrying out a program titled 'Social dialogue – a system of collective bargaining and an opportunity for networking' which is aimed at supporting vulnerable groups among which migrants are identified. The key goal of the project is to raise awareness on the importance of social dialogue among various actors in the society, including those representing vulnerable groups. 

 

Source:

Web page of the Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (Zveza svobodnih sindikatov Slovenije), http://www.zsss.si/index.php

Web page of the Confederation of trade unions of Slovenia Pergam (Konfederacija sindikatov Slovenije Pergam), http://www.sindikat-pergam.si/index.php/stran/projekti/socialni_dialog

Groups affected/interested Migrants
Type (R/D) Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas Employment - labour market
External Url http://www.zsss.si/index.php
Situation(s)
Library
21/01/2013 - 20:04
Short Answer

Yes, the trade union which is most active in Slovenia in relation to migrant workers is the Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia.

Qualitative Info

The Union of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia is a trade union with the most visible activities aimed at support to migrant workers. Their activities include raising awareness of the public on the effects of economic crisis on migrant workers, on the violation of labour and social rights of migrant workers, providing advice for them and commenting on policy measures in this field. Since 2010 the Union is implementing a project in cooperation with an NGO Slovene Philanthropy titled ‘Integration package for unemployed migrants, refugees and asylum seekers’. The project enabled the employment, training and empowerment of advocates for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees who advise unemployed individuals from these groups in relation to their labour rights and support them in their search for new employment. The project also includes study visits and networking with trade unions working with migrant workers in other European states. Within this project the Union is issuing a monthly bilingual (in Slovenian and Bosnian) Migration Newsletter which includes information on useful information for the migrant workers, latest legislative and policy developments in this field and data on violations of the rights of migrant workers.

 

During the project, the organisations reported various violations affecting migrant workers including:

 

- deregistering workers during the employment relationship without giving notice and without informing the workers who found out about their situation upon visiting healthcare institutions,

- in case of temporary layoffs, workers receive no payments and are also deregistered from insurance schemes,

- probationary employment without contracts and insurance and, at the end, without payment,

- payments in cash and without issued pay slips (e.g. payments on piece of paper), when it is not known if contributions have been paid,

- overtime work, including contributions, not paid as such, but expressed as costs related to transportation to work,

- the same employer once calculates and pays contributions, then calculates, but does not pay them, while the next time contributions are neither calculated nor paid,

- employment of so called “tourists”, that is – persons who legally reside in Slovenia but do not have work permits, mostly in construction and forestry,

- unpaid wages or irregular payments,

- unpaid holiday pay or forcing workers to give up holiday pay,

- overtime work over daily, monthly and yearly limits, which is not paid as overtime work,

- pay cuts without workers’ consent (a so called “recession tax”),

- work-related injuries not reported, while injured workers are deregistered from insurance scheme, and sent to their country of origin without compensation for sick leave or any compensation,

- borrowing of workers between employment agencies to avoid permanent employment of workers,

- employment of migrant workers without medical examination, without passed exams on health and safety at work,

- health and safety equipment not provided to workers,

- forging workers’ signatures on contracts or agreements on the termination of employment, and deregistering of workers from insurance schemes,

- the recruitment of workers by the empty promises and sending them as seconded workers to sites in Western European countries, particularly Germany, where they work well over 200 hours per month, without proper contracts of employment. They work for a much lower hourly rates than those in the receiving State, without payroll contributions paid and at the end even without a salary, while being charged significant sums for sleeping in containers.


Source:

 

Groups affected/interested Migrants
Type (R/D) Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas Employment - labour market
External Url http://www.zsss.si/index.php
Situation(s)
Library