Tripartite negotiations

Tripartite consultations, information exchanges and negotiations are held in Estonia between the government of the state and the delegations of the employers and employees. The employers are represented in the negotiations by the commission formed of the management of the Estonian Confederation of Employers and Industry and the employees are represented by the delegation set up from the representatives of the Estonian Unions Central Confederation and the Employees’ Unions Organisation.
There are six members in all three commissions.

The tripartite negotiations started in the independent Estonia in 1992, when the first tripartite agreement concerning social securities was concluded. The process of tripartite negotiations is managed by the Regulation of Tripartite Consultations ratified in 1996, which states that the schedule of the following consultation is settled on the previous consultation and the decisions are made on the principle of consensus.

The tripartite agreements and consultations concern the rate of tax-free income, unemployment compensation, social security, vocational education etc. Every year the national minimum wage is agreed upon during tripartite negotiations.