Reduction of employee rights

Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, information briefing

Date: 2025-04-09 15:04

Participating Politicians:

Total Speeches: 10

Membership: 15

Agenda Duration: 12m

AI Summaries: 10/10 Speeches (100.0%)

Analysis: Structured Analysis

Politicians Speaking Time

Politicians

Analysis

Summary

The session focused on the draft law amending the Employment Contracts Act, which would grant employers unprecedented authority to determine an employee's salary and working hours. The draft includes agreements on flexible working hours and preserves social guarantees (e.g., health insurance, vacation). The minimum working time would be 10 hours per week, but in the future, the employer will not be required to offer 40 hours of work. This affects all people working under a standard employment contract (including doctors, drivers, service workers, and some police officers).

Decisions Made 1
Collective Decision

Decisions were not made. The discussion continues, and further processing and refinements of the draft are planned for the following sessions.

Most Active Speaker
Lauri Läänemets
Lauri Läänemets

Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioon

The most active speaker in this session was the prime minister (pid="2JB0KzFPO7g"). His position can be described as "other" (neither simply left-wing nor right-wing), as he represented the government's viewpoint on balancing flexible working agreements and social guarantees, and led the discussion, presenting initial clarifications on the bill's impact.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
15:04:22
AI Summary

The Speaker Hussar announces that today's first question is from Riigikogu member Lauri Läänemets to Prime Minister Kristen Michal, and the topic is the curtailment of workers' rights.

Lauri Läänemets
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioon
15:04:33
AI Summary

Lauri Läänemets criticizes the government's proposed changes to the Employment Contracts Act, which would grant employers an unprecedented right to determine wages and working hours and would affect all employees under regular terms of employment, including doctors, drivers, and police officers, and he provides an example illustrating the uncertainty and loss of future security associated with a mother of two on sick leave.

Peaminister Kristen Michal
15:06:25
AI Summary

The Prime Minister said that the proposed amendments to the Employment Contract Act would enable flexible working-time arrangements that are beneficial to both parties, increase employees' protection (health insurance, vacation and the minimum wage) and preserve social guarantees, being a better alternative to mandate contracts.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
15:09:16
AI Summary

Chair Hussar thanks and asks Lauri Läänemets to present a clarifying question.

Lauri Läänemets
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioon
15:09:18
AI Summary

Lauri Läänemets pointed out that the draft would give employers the right to reduce wages and workload according to their wishes, which would put the more vulnerable workers at greater risk, and asked whether it would be right under the same principle to cut the government's salary as well or to let the Estonian people decide next month about salaries and workload.

Peaminister Kristen Michal
15:11:15
AI Summary

Prime Minister Kristen Michal stressed that the economy is on an upswing and that the labor shortage requires flexible work opportunities, that contracts are bilateral, that MPs' salaries have not been reduced, and that the draft bill must be worked through in Parliament together with proposals.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
15:13:31
AI Summary

The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanked and gave the floor to his colleague Tanel Kiik, who posed an additional question.

Tanel Kiik
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
15:13:33
AI Summary

Tanel Kiik criticizes the prime minister for demagogy in handling the Employment Contract Act, emphasizing that the draft bill worsens employees' sense of security and that all the risk is left for them to bear.

Peaminister Kristen Michal
15:15:49
AI Summary

Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that the government represents those who want more flexible working hours and lasting social guarantees, stressing that the unions' opinion does not represent the interests of all workers and that the debate on this topic must be held in Parliament.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
15:17:13
AI Summary

He thanks and concludes the handling of today's first question.