The National Collective Agreement was signed on October 8, which will improve working conditions and the quality of employee representation in the public sector.
The Government had authorized the Ministry of Social Security and Labour to negotiate the agreement with national trade union organizations—the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK), the Lithuanian Trade Union “Solidarumas”, and the United Trade Union. The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė along with the heads of the aforementioned trade unions. This is the first time the National Collective Agreement has been signed by one of the country’s state leaders.
“This agreement is not just an arrangement on specific numbers. It is an agreement on respect, trust, and cooperation. It demonstrates that trade unions are capable of being responsible, reasoned, and effective social dialogue partners, representing employees’ interests at the national level,” emphasizes Dalia Jakutavičė, interim president of the LPSK – she signed the Agreement on behalf of this organization.
Guarantees for Trade Union Members
Additional guarantees agreed upon in the agreement will only apply to members of the signatory trade unions, which is approximately 70 thousand employees.
The provisions that have been extended include:
- 2 additional days off for self-development or volunteering (applicable not only in budgetary institutions but also to trade union members working in state or municipal-controlled enterprises);
- Up to 10 days of study leave, paid at 100% of the employee’s average salary, and up to 20 days per year paid at 50% of the average salary (applicable only to trade union members working in budgetary institutions);
- Up to 5 days for health improvement (applicable only to trade union members working in budgetary institutions).
Changes to the base rate
The agreement stipulates that, from January 1, 2026, the base rate for the official salary in the public sector will be increased by 12.60 Euros—up to 1798 Euros. This decision will affect more than 200,000 employees of state and municipal budgetary institutions, civil servants, officers, soldiers, judges, and other public sector specialists. This is a concrete, tangible result that was negotiated for a long period of time and consistently.
No less important is the provision that from 2027, the determination of the base rate will become a matter for negotiation in the National Collective Agreement. This means that trade unions will directly participate in deciding on salary policy issues in the future, taking into account inflation, the minimum monthly wage, and changes in public sector salaries. Such an agreement strengthens the influence of trade unions and ensures greater transparency and stability in salary policy.
Rights and obligations of the parties
Among the obligations of the signatory trade unions are as follows: publicizing the number and structure of their members at least once a year, maintaining a common position regarding the agreement, cooperating with work councils, educating members about rights, duties, stress management, informing the State Labour Inspectorate about violations, representing employees in disputes, etc.
The employer, in turn, commits to providing newly hired employees with information about all trade unions operating in the institution and their contacts; to immediately inform the trade union at the employer level before beginning an investigation into a violation of work duties or a disciplinary offense (unless the employee under investigation refuses this).
The agreement enshrines the right of trade unions to negotiate with the employer regarding the consequences of a trade union member’s dismissal if they are dismissed at the employer’s initiative without the employee’s fault. Trade unions will also have the right to be nformed, submit an evaluation of the manager’s performance which must be considered during the evaluation process, observe managers’ selection competitions and provide an opinion on the candidates, as well as participate in the employee performance review discussion.
The first National Collective Agreement was signed at the end of 2018 (for the year 2019). The new Agreement will be valid for three years—from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028.