Labour Unions, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Metals Market

Meiers said that the situation in which the company's employees are in, waiting for the company to finally resume production, is unenviable and very tormenting for the employees. ''No one has any answers on what will happen with the company,'' Meiers said, adding that some of the parties involved are just imitating that they are trying to do something.

As the head of the Trade Union Center of Liepaja points out, the company's trade union has done everything it can in the current situation. He said that Janis Grava, the head of Liepajas metalurgs' trade union, has been corresponding with the country's top official and the responsible ministries, but has only received formal answers from them.

He also called it absurd that Grava has not been invited to participate in the Economy Ministry's task force to help solve the situation at the company, and thus the trade union has been forced to find out what has been discussed and decided on through the media. ''I understand there is some confidentiality, but we are not speaking about NASA rocket stations,'' Meiers said.

He also admitted that the company's trade union has still no information regarding how many of the company's employees will be laid off. Meiers added that the trade union will not accept these lay-offs.

The Liepajas metalurgs trade union is a member of the Trade Union Center of Liepaja.