Education and Science, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Latvia, Wages

The Conference will taka place at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Strelnieku Street 4a, Riga, Latvia, 16:00 - 18:00.

Government policy makes life harder for low wage earners in Latvia. The income and social taxes on low incomes are very high. At the minimum wage, an employee costs the company 353 euros a month, but the employee keeps only 208 euros. Unemployment has fallen but is still high, especially for the low-skilled. In this environment of low employee bargaining power, moreover, trade unions and the government labour department are weak and ineffective in protecting workers’ rights. As a result, between 2009 and 2011 about 100,000 people (5% of the population) left for better working conditions elsewhere in older EU states and Norway.

What are important labour issues in other countries in the region? What can we learn from each other’s experiences? What are the alternatives?

To provide some answers and to generate discussion we have invited experts from Norway, Sweden and Poland.

Get more information and register for the event here.