The Estonian Confederation of Trade Unions (EAKL) is guided in its activities by the Statutes and the laws of the Republic of Estonia regulating labour life and trade union activities. Here you will find references to the most important legislation concerning trade unions, employee representation and the settlement of labour disputes.
Statute of the EAKL (PDF, valid from 20.10.2023.a)
TRADE UNION VOCABULARY
See the EKI Sõnaveeb
Here you will find explanations of trade union terms, with their Russian and English equivalents. Helps to understand the terms better.
TRADE UNION LEGISLATION
Find a list of laws and regulations relating to trade unions here (State Gazette):
- Law on non-profit associations
Regulates the establishment, governance, membership and transparency of trade unions.
- Trade union law
Sets out the rights, obligations and grounds for action of trade unions as representative organisations of workers. Defines the rights and powers of the trade union steward to represent employees before the employer.
- Collective Agreements Act
Regulates the conclusion, enforcement and validity of collective agreements between employers and workers' representatives.
- Collective agreements database regulation
Describes how collective agreements are registered and made public in a national database.
klak.sm.ee - A national register of collective agreements, managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, which is currently broken, not updated and unusable.
- Collective Dispute Resolution Act
lays down the procedures and procedural rules for settling labour disputes, including strikes and collective labour disputes.
- Labour Dispute Settlement Act
Sets out the procedures for resolving individual labour disputes before labour dispute committees and the courts.
BASIC ACTS OF LABOUR LAW
- Employment Contracts Act
General principles on the conclusion, modification and termination of employment contracts, pay, working time, rest periods, etc.
- Employees' Trustee Act
Defines the rights and powers of the trade union steward to represent workers before the employer.
- Health and Safety at Work Act
Obliges the employer to ensure a safe working environment and sets out the rights of the worker in relation to safety at work.
