Social Partners in Latvia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to promote social progress and help the country deal with the impacts of the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The Latvian Free Trade Union Confederation (LBAS), together with representatives from business, commerce and industry, the scientific community and local government, pledged to work to make Latvia an economically developed, competitive and secure country, with a modern education system, accessible health care for everyone and a future for every Latvian.
The Memorandum provides for coordination in negotiations with the public administration to achieve these goals. Policy decisions to be taken after the autumn parliamentary elections will set the country’s course for the next four years. Every Latvian political party will be invited to sign the document, as an indication of its willingness to involve the five social partners in decision-making on issues of national importance.
“The government's reaction to curbing inflation growth is not enough. We need to re-evaluate the opportunities available to the Saeima (parliament) and the government,” said LBAS President Egils Baldzēns. “This applies in particular to services regulated by the state and local government, such as electricity, gas, heat, water supply and fuel.” Government support for poorer people should not lag behind inflation, he added.