Latvia – LRI

Freedom of Association Indicator

The Labour Rights Index 2024 (LRI 2024) is a de-jure index covering 145 economies and structured around the working lifespan of a worker. In total, 46 questions or evaluation criteria are scored across 10 indicators. The overall score is calculated by taking the average of each indicator, with 100 being the highest possible score. The Index uses a rating system, ranging from “Total Lack of Decent Work” to “Decent Work”. The Labour Rights Index aims at an active contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing necessary (complementary) insights into de jure provisions on issues covered in particular by SDG8 (Decent Jobs), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Strong Institutions). The Index is based on national labour legislation, applicable on 1 January 2024.

Latvia’s overall score is 93 out of 100. The overall score for Latvia is greater than the regional average observed across Eastern Europe (88). Within the Eastern Europe, the highest score is observed for Greece & Hungary (96).

Latvia ratified Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) in 1992 and Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) in 1992.

75/100

Freedom of Association Indicator

66/100

LRI 2024 Country Score

10.65 %

Trade union density rate (%)

27.3 %

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

SDG indicator 8.8.2

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

Labour Rights Index 2024

66/100

75 10.65 %

Trade union density rate (%)

27.3 %

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

0

SDG indicator 8.8.2

2

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

Question	Answer	Score	Legal Basis	More Info
Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?	Yes	1	§102 & 108 of Latvian Constitution, 1922; §7-10 of Labour Law, 2001; Trade Union Law, 2014	—
Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?	Yes	1	§108 of Latvian Constitution, 1922; §17-24 of Labour Law, 2001; Trade Union Law, 2014; Statute of the National Tripartite Council, 1998	—
Does the law provide for the right to strike?	No	0	§108 & 116 of Latvian Constitution, 1922; §11-12 & 16-17 Strike Law 1998; §21 of Labour Disputes Law 2003	Information Source: §108 & 116 of Latvian Constitution, 1922; §11-12 & 16-17 Strike Law 1998; §21 of Labour Disputes Law 2003 A : National Law National Labour Legislation Part III - Declaration of Strikes Section 11. (1) The trade union shall make its decision on declaration of a strike at a general meeting of its members organised according to the procedure provided in its rules, at which at least three-fourths of the employee members of the trade union participate. The decision to declare a strike shall be made if three-fourths of the employee members of the respective trade union who are present have voted in favour of it. The results and process of the voting shall be recorded. (2) If it is impossible to organise the general meeting of the respective trade union due to the large number of its members or due to specific organisation of work the decision on declaration of the strike shall be made at a meeting of authorised representatives of the trade union organised according to the procedure provided in its rules, at which at least three-fourths of the authorised representatives of the members of this trade union participate. The decision shall be made if three-fourths of the authorised representatives of the members of the respective trade union who are present have voted in favour of it. The results and process of the voting shall be recorded. (3) If the trade union or the authorised representatives of members of the trade unions referred to in Subsection 2 of this Section (the "authorised representatives of the members of the trade union") shall make a decision on declaration of a strike in the name of all the employees of the respective enterprise (as well as in the name of those employees who are not members of the respective trade union), the trade union or the authorised representatives of members of the trade union shall ensure that the decisions referred to in Subsections two and three of this Section are supported by three-fourths of the employees of the respective enterprise. Such support shall be recorded. Section 12. (1) The employees shall make a decision on declaration of a strike at a general meeting of employees of the enterprise in which at least three fourths of the employees of this enterprise must enterprise. A decision to declare a strike shall be made when three-fourths of the employees of the enterprise present at the meeting have voted in favour of it in a closed vote. The process and the results of the voting shall be recorded. (2) If it is impossible to organise the general meeting of the employees due to the large number of employees of the respective enterprise or due to specific organisation of work the decision on declaration of a strike shall be made at the meeting of the authorised representatives of the employees in which at least three-fourths of the authorised representatives of the employees of such an enterprise participate. The decision shall be made if three-fourths of the authorised representatives of the employees of this enterprise who are present have voted in favour of it. The results and process of the voting shall be recorded. "Section 17. (1) The employer and the strikes committee shall provide that during the strike a minimum quantity of services essential to the public shall be continued in enterprises or joint ventures, organisations and institutions (""essential services"") the discontinuation of which would threaten the security, health, and life of the state, of all of society, of a group of the population or of some individuals. (2) For the purpose of this Act the services essential to society are the following: (i) medical science and first aid services; (ii) public transportation services; (iii) drinking water supplies services; (iv) service for the production and supply of electrical energy and gas; (v) communications services; (vi) air service control and the service supplying meteorological information to the air service control; (vii) services relating to the security of all kinds of transportation; (ix) waste and sewage collection and water purification services; (x) radioactive goods and waste storage, utilisation and control services; (xi) civil protection services. (3) If necessary, not later than three days before commencing a strike, the employer and the strikes committee shall make a written agreement and choose a certain number of employees who would participate in the strike, and of employees who would perform the work referred to in Subsection 1 of this Section during the strike, shall determine the amount of practical work to be carried out by such employees and shall give concrete instructions in this regard. (4) The refusal of an employee to perform the practical work and follow the instructions referred to in Subsection 3 of this Section, the aim of which is to ensure the functioning of services essential to society, or the refusal to do the minimal quantity of work provided for in the employment employment or collective agreement during the strike, shall be considered to be a breach of the work order and the employee concerned shall be liable for such a breach under the law."
Does the law prohibit imposing excessive sanctions against striking workers, including replacement of such workers?	Yes	1	§108 of Latvian Constitution, 1922; §26 of Strike Law 1998; §21 of Labour Disputes Law 2003	—

Textual sources

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

B : CEACR

CEACR: ILO Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations (latest report)

C : ITUC

ITUC: ITUC Global Rights Index

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

LRI Country Score

The Labour Rights Index has 10 indicators and 46 sub-indicators. The LRI Country score averages 10 indicators and ranges between 0 and 100. The lowest and highest scorers are Nigeria (29/100) and Belgium/Greece (96/100). https://labourrightsindex.org/

Freedom of Association Indicator

The Freedom of Association indicator is composed of 4 sub-indicators. Scoring is done through the binary method (0 or 1). The score ranges between 0-100.

Trade union density rate (%)

The trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on trade union density, please check ILOSTAT.

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

The collective bargaining coverage rate conveys the number of employees whose pay and/or conditions of employment are determined by one or more collective agreement(s) as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on collective bargaining coverage, please check ILOSTAT.

SDG indicator 8.8.2

SDG indicator 8.8.2 measures national compliance with fundamental labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining or FACB). It ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 being the best possible score (indicating higher levels of compliance with FACB rights) and 10 the worst (indicating lower levels of compliance with FACB rights). It is based on six ILO supervisory body textual sources and national legislation. For an updated assessment on SDG indicator 8.8.2, please check ILOSTAT.

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

The ITUC Global Rights Index depicts the world's worst countries for workers by rating 148 countries on a scale from 1 to 5+ on the degree of respect for workers' rights. Violations are recorded each year from April to March. For a detailed description of ratings and methodology, please follow the link.