Estonia
Key Facts
| Population | 1,339,662 |
|---|---|
| Collective Bargaining Coverage | 33% |
| Proportion of Employees in Unions | 10% |
| Principal Level of Collective Bargaining |
company |
| Workplace Representation |
union – but since 2007 employee representatives can be elected as well |
| Board-level Representation |
no |
| Company Board Structure |
dualistic |
Sources: see individual country sections; where a range of figures has been quoted, the lower number has been taken
Trade Unions
Union density is low in Estonia at around 7%. It fell sharply in the 1990s, and it has continued to decline. Most union members are organised in two major confederations, one, EAKL, primarily manual, and the other, TALO, primarily non-manual.
more ...Collective Bargaining
Around a third of employees are covered by collective bargaining in Estonia and by far the most important level for collective bargaining is the company or organisation, with unions negotiating with individual employers. However, the minimum wage is set after negotiations between the union confederations and the employers at national level.
more ...Workplace Representation
Employee representation at the workplace was primarily through unions, or did not take place at all. However, legislation, which came into effect in 2007, allows for the election of employee representatives both where there is a union and where there is not. These representatives, who can also conduct collective bargaining if there is no union, are now more common than union representatives.
more ...Board-level Representation
There is no legal provision for employee representatives to participate at board level in Estonia.
more ...European-level Representation
Estonian members of European bodies linked with European Works Councils and the European Company are normally elected by the general meeting of employees. The arrangements are slightly different when there are several Estonian companies involved.
more ...Health and Safety Representation
Employee representation on health and safety is provided through separately elected representatives, who in smaller companies act individually and in larger companies are part of a joint employer/employee committee. These representatives have the power to halt work if there is a direct threat to employees’ safety.
more ...Financial Participation
Employee financial participation in Estonia is present mainly in the form of employee ownership and the activities of cooperatives. The importance of employee ownership has been in decline since the beginning of the 1990s, when for a short time employee ownership played an important role in the privatization process. Profit-sharing schemes are now relatively widespread (above the European average).
more ...