An interview with Inguna Siņica, Chairperson of the Forestry Trade Union of Latvia

The time when a trade union was an important organisation to pay membership fees to and try to get a voucher for a health resort has passed. Is it easy nowadays to explain the tasks of the Forestry Trade Union of Latvia?

The main task of a trade union is to ensure that employees' labour legal relations are properly organised. Every employer looks at the organisation of labour relations from their own perspective. The trade union speaks to each employer individually to achieve the most positive result for the employees. From experience, I can highly commend JSC “Latvijas Finieris”, where the social dialogue is at a high level. It has been proven that in companies where there is a trade union, labour legal relations are well-organised. There are still companies that are partially in the so-called “shadow economy” or “grey” zone. One of the trade union's tasks is to help the employer start operating outside of this zone.

In certain cases, an employee does not consider that upon starting work, an employment contract must be concluded and matters of pay and taxes must be settled. Until some misfortune happens to the person, everything has been fine, money has been received, there is work. When an accident occurs, or a long-term illness strikes, the person discovers that taxes have not been paid for them, and they are not entitled to sickness benefits.

One of our trade union's priorities is educating young people. It is important that a new employee is informed about their rights and duties when entering into an employment relationship.

I believe that a trade union is necessary so that employees have the opportunity to speak with the employer as an organisation representing the workforce, rather than each employee individually having to resolve problematic or already exacerbated issues.

The trade union's task is to ensure that employees' working conditions are improved. In practice, these improvements are set out in a collective agreement that the trade union concludes with the employer. Its provisions apply to all employees, and the fruits of the trade union's efforts are also reaped by employees who are not trade union members. To speak in analogies, the other employees are like “freeloaders” riding on public transport for free, while others pay.

The growth and stability of a company is a common goal for both the employer and the employee. We, as representatives of the employees, are interested in having a stable workplace with clearly understandable pay conditions and social guarantees.

There have been cases where, after the trade union's efforts have succeeded in raising salaries, union members withdraw from the trade union because their wishes have been achieved. And that lasts until the next problem needs to be solved…

There were times when, on the LTV programme “Kas notiek Latvijā?”, a number of so-called “social partners” (including trade unions) tried to create the impression that there was opposition to the Government’s decisions and actions. “Created the impression”… To object and to create the impression that one is objecting are two different things.

It depends on what was being talked about in the specific situation and programme. The discussion – how to build a budget, how to redistribute funds – is an old one. It is undoubtedly difficult for everyone to agree. If you look at trade unions as a whole, there are sectors that are directly dependent on the state budget, and there are also private structures. The Forestry Trade Union includes both the public and private sectors. The trade union is present in both the State Forest Service and private companies that earn their own way. In the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia, the situation is twofold. Often, when solving issues, we walk a tightrope because one cannot only give to some or only take from others. I suppose that for this reason a strange impression of social partnership can be formed.

In Latvia, there has been talk about the shadow economy for years. Often, those who, through their decisions, have directly, consciously or indirectly created such a situation are the ones heard speaking beautifully. Why is there no louder and more concrete talk about the reasons for the emergence of the shadow economy?

The trade union continuously highlights the issue of the shadow economy. The Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia deals with this economic problem – it is a national-level issue. Organising the shadow economy is closely linked to organising tax policy.

Regarding the current tax system and the problems associated with it, the trade union's view was clear. Having familiarised ourselves with the draft of the new tax system, we were not enthusiastic. There are still many uncertainties and trade unions have to work with the heads of trade organisations so that they, in turn, can help their colleagues. The dissatisfaction is great! That could not be called good work or a success story! I do not see that tax policy is even slightly addressing the problem of inequality in society. Inequality has remained, and it is complemented by a mess in accounting. As I already mentioned – trade unions were not satisfied with this project; our proposal was a non-taxable minimum equal for everyone – at the amount of the minimum wage. The minimum wage would determine the minimum income for everyone, and depending on the salary amount, the income tax amount would differ (similar to in Sweden). At one time, there existed a so-called “crisis subsistence minimum”, which is outdated in content and meaning. The Ministry of Welfare set about developing a new system, which, however, has not yet been completed. We recommended the minimum wage instead of the “old” term.

Your experience – how adequately, appropriately, genuinely (we can use another word) – do people in ministries and state institutions understand, know and have a grasp of what is happening in the country? Do employers and employees – the payers of the state budget – feel at least understood when they see the decisions and laws?

I have formed the impression that state institutions are distanced from the everyday lives of the country’s residents. I do not know for what reason, but upon entering state institutions, I feel as if I have arrived in another dimension of life and understanding. In state institutions, many processes take place detached from real life. Speaking concretely – “they are there, we are here”. Meanwhile, “here and there” are not the same thing.

A precise example is Latvian politicians – as soon as they are no longer “there” – in the Saeima, in ministries, they know and understand the problems well, knowing how things should be, how they should have been, and what needs to be done. The question is – why did they act differently while being “there”? Why was the wisdom lacking “back then and there”?

Often, representatives of sectors, without talking about the personalities of ministers, perceive changes of ministers acutely: “a new minister, everything has to be started from the beginning”. Developments and solutions that were started previously often do not continue. Do you happen to encounter such a situation?

I have not yet managed to meet with the new Minister of Agriculture, Kaspars Gerhards, but the meeting is included in my plan. I will definitely highlight the issue of salaries for employees of the State Forest Service. We met with the previous minister, Jānis Dūklavs, about the salary issue for SFS employees about five years ago, because at that time, the salaries of SFS employees that had been reduced during the crisis had not been restored to their previous level. I can agree with what was said – a new minister, everything has to be started from the beginning! I have formed the impression that every minister wants something new, something of their own; even if it is a small plan or idea of their own. That would be positive in the case that continuity was ensured in the ministry!

I myself work in the Vocational Education and Employment Sub-council* of the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia, and I see well what is happening in the Ministry of Education and Science. New minister, new moods; the work that was started runs slower, and what was started is no longer relevant.

The forestry sector is a large employer in Latvia. Do you follow the trends and activities around the sector that can affect those working there, the country’s economy and development?

I began to get to know the sector in depth upon becoming Chairperson of the Forestry Trade Union. Working in the Forest Certification Council of Latvia, where topical issues for the sector are frequently discussed, I have gained a lot of new information. I also learned about the forest life cycle in practice: planting, young stands, felling areas, etc. In my opinion, the heated discussions around and about forests demand more detailed explanation. I will be self-critical: before I turned to the forestry sector, following information in the mass media, I had the impression that there would soon be a desert in Latvia, that too much was being cut, and the situation was miserable! Such a view from the outside was formed without delving into the sector! Upon becoming familiar with information in the media and travelling around Latvia, the large number of clear-cuts was obvious. A view was formed that the information was objective and comprehensive. However, as it turned out, when travelling by car, you see a clear-cut, but you do not see or notice that five-year-old pines are already growing there… It must be taken into account that in our daily lives, we drive on the same roads, we see one or a few regions of Latvia, not the country as a whole. I concluded that it is only a superficial visual impression. By becoming deeply involved in the work of the sector’s trade union, seeing how forests are tended and regenerated, my opinion changed. Participating in the forest days organised by “Latvijas Finieris”, we have planted spruces, pines and birches. Visiting the places where we planted trees, I see how the trees I planted are growing. All the small spruces that I have used for Christmas decorating, I have given back to the forest!

*Information about trade unions

The trade union operates on several levels.
At the company level, for example, it follows whether the employer complies with labour legislation and other legal documents.
At the sector level – trade unions cooperate with ministries and sector employer organisations regarding the common interests of those working in the sector.

To coordinate and organise the tripartite social dialogue on a national scale between employer organisations, state institutions and trade unions, in order to reconcile the interests of these organisations in social and economic issues, guaranteeing social stability in the country, the National Tripartite Cooperation Council (NTSP) was established. The NTSP is formed on a parity basis by representatives nominated by the government, the Employers' Confederation of Latvia and the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia. In the structure of the NTSP, work is organised in 9 sub-councils: Budget and Tax Policy Tripartite Cooperation (Sub-council); Labour Affairs Tripartite Cooperation (DLTSA); Social Security (SDA); Vocational Education and Employment Tripartite Cooperation (PINTSA); Health Care Sector (VANA); Transport and Communications Sector Tripartite Cooperation (TSNTSA); Environmental Protection Affairs Tripartite Cooperation (VALTSA); Regional Development Tripartite Cooperation (RAPLTSA); Public Security. Recently, the 10th began its operation – the Competitiveness and Sustainability Sub-council.

The Forestry Trade Union of Latvia actively works in PINTSA, whose functions are to review national development plans, concepts, draft normative acts in the field of vocational education, human resource development and employment, and provide proposals for their improvement.

Representation in the Budget and Tax Policy Sub-council ensures and promotes the cooperation and participation of the state, employer organisations and their associations, and trade unions in improving fiscal policy, the state budget and tax issues.

The Competitiveness and Sustainability Sub-council reviews drafts of national economic policy, economic structural policy, business development policy, investment policy, industrial policy, labour market policy, research and innovation planning and other policy documents and normative acts, develops its own proposals, and provides opinions before their consideration in the NTSP and the government. It ensures and promotes the cooperation and participation of the state, employer organisations and their associations, and employee trade unions in raising economic competitiveness, support for the introduction of digitalisation, mobile services, AI (artificial intelligence), robotics and the “Industry 4.0” initiative, and sustainable sectoral development, which requires implementing increases in labour productivity and efficiency, continuing structural reforms, and creating higher value-added products and services to ensure competitive workplaces and adequate pay. The Forestry Trade Union of Latvia has also actively involved itself in the work of this sub-council.