Social Dialogue

Social dialogue is undergoing a successful development. Also tripartite negotiations and consultations are regularly taking place.

In Estonia tripartism is satisfactory developed on the highest - national level. The range of issues that are regularly discussed with employees, the Government and the employers have identified. Social dialogue on the sectoral and company level is notably less developed. Collective agreements on wages and working conditions are being negotiated only in a limited number of economic sectors and companies. In the nearest future it is important to focus more on developing social dialogue on sectoral and company level. It is also necessary to expand the range of issues for negotiations beyond wages and working conditions. There are more collective agreements signed in transport sector, engineering sector, food industry, wood industry, textile and clothing industry, chemical industry, etc.

We believe that for the successful social dialogue in the field of employment-, social-, economic policy at first the strong partners are needed. Social partners can play a useful role in contributing development process when they are internally strong enough.

Social partners' organisations are quite young institutions in our society. During last decade, employers' organizations and employees representative organizations have been established.