Q&A

Trade unions are organizations that represent the interests of employees in labor law and social matters. Their main goal is to protect workers' rights, improve working conditions, and negotiate fair wages, benefits, and other workplace-related issues.

Main Functions of Trade Unions:

1. Collective Bargaining:
   Trade unions negotiate with company management or employer organizations regarding employment contracts, wages, working hours, workplace safety, and benefits.

2. Employee Protection:
   They provide legal assistance and support in cases of unfair treatment, discrimination, bullying, or other workplace issues.

3. Social Dialogue:
   Trade unions participate in discussions with the government, politicians, and other institutions concerning labor law, social policies, or economic measures that impact employees.

4. Defense of Rights and Employee Support During Changes:
   For example, in cases of mass layoffs, company reorganizations, or business closures.

5. Raising Awareness and Education:
   They inform employees about their rights and offer training in areas such as workplace safety and labor law.

Trade unions play a key role in maintaining a balance between the interests of employers and employees, helping to create a fairer working environment.

Paying membership fees is essential for trade unions to function effectively and provide support, protection, and services to their members. It is a form of solidarity investment that ensures unions can advocate for employees' interests and improve their working conditions.

Main Reasons for Paying Union Fees:

1. Funding Union Activities

   • Trade unions need resources to organize activities such as collective bargaining, legal assistance, advisory services, and strike organization.
   • Fees help cover operational costs, including administration, legal experts, consultants, and communication channels.

2. Ensuring Legal and Professional Support

   • Unions provide members with free legal advice and representation in labor disputes, which requires funding for specialists.
   • They contribute to training union representatives and consulting experts in labor law and workplace safety.

3. Organizing Collective Bargaining

   • Collective bargaining with employers is a key activity of trade unions, often leading to better wages, bonuses, or benefits for employees. The costs of these negotiations are covered by member fees.

4. Supporting Members in Crisis Situations

   • Fees help create funds that can be used to support members during strikes, layoffs, workplace injuries, or other difficulties.

5. Union Independence

   • Membership fees ensure that unions remain financially independent from employers, the government, or other institutions. This independence is crucial for advocating for employees' interests without conflicts of interest.

6. Providing Benefits for Members

• Fees enable unions to offer various benefits, such as discounts on education, recreation, cultural events, or subsidies for transportation and meals.

How Are Union Fees Used?

Most trade unions have a transparent financial system, where membership fees are primarily used for:

• Salaries of union employees (lawyers, consultants, administrative staff).
• Operation of union offices and organizational structures.
• Financing legal services and collective bargaining.
• Educational and informational activities.
• Assistance for members in need or during strikes.

Membership Fee Amount

Fees are typically set as a percentage of an employee's income (e.g., 0.5–1% of gross salary) to ensure fairness among all members. Each union determines the exact amount individually. In our case, the fee is set at 200 CZK, with 84 CZK paid to the Union of Trade and Logistics Employees (UZO).

The remaining funds are used for union operations, such as maintaining this website, covering travel expenses, and more. The union's financial management is overseen by a supervisory body.

A collective agreement is a legally binding contract between an employer (or a group of employers) and a trade union that establishes working and employment conditions for employees. It is a key tool in collective bargaining.

What Does a Collective Agreement Include?

The content may vary, but usually covers the following areas:

1. Wages and Benefits

   • Wage levels and increase mechanisms.
   • Bonuses (e.g., overtime, holiday, or night work pay).
   • Additional rewards and incentives.

2. Working Hours and Work Organization

   • Definition of working hours, breaks, and rest periods.
   • Options for flexible or reduced working hours.

3. Working Conditions

   • Ensuring workplace safety and health protection.
   • Conditions for work in difficult or hazardous environments.

4. Social Benefits

   • Support in cases of illness, maternity, or other life situations.
   • Contributions for meals, transportation, or recreation.

5. Union Rights and Cooperation

   • Conditions for trade union activities.
   • Dispute resolution mechanisms between employees and employers.

6. Employee Rights Protection During Changes

   • Conditions for layoffs or reorganizations.
   • Compensation and severance packages.

How Long Does a Collective Agreement Last?

Collective agreements typically have a limited validity period (e.g., 1–3 years) and must be renewed or renegotiated after expiration.

Importance of Collective Agreements

• Protect employees' rights and ensure fair conditions.
• Help prevent conflicts between employees and employers.
• Provide stability and clear workplace rules.

The Union of Trade, Logistics, and Services Employees (UZO) is a trade union organization that represents workers in these sectors. Its goal is to protect their rights, improve working conditions, and advocate for their interests with employers and government institutions. UZO is also a partner of our trade union.

UZO's Main Activities:

1. Collective Bargaining – Negotiating collective agreements with employers to set wages, benefits, working hours, and other conditions.
2. Employee Protection – Providing legal advice and assistance to workers facing unfair treatment (e.g., discrimination, unpaid wages, illegal practices).
3. Improving Working Conditions – Advocating for safer and fairer workplaces in retail, logistics, and services.
4. Supporting Workers in Crisis Situations – Assisting in cases of layoffs, reorganizations, or workplace issues.
5. Cooperation with Other Institutions – Engaging in dialogue with the government, employer organizations, and international unions to defend workers' rights on a broader scale.

Who Is UZO For?

The union is intended for employees in:

• Retail and wholesale trade.
• Logistics, warehousing, and transportation.
• Services such as hospitality, hotels, and related industries.

Why Is UZO Important?

• It helps improve working conditions in industries often characterized by long hours and low wages.
• It provides employees with support and representation they might struggle to obtain on their own.

The Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) is the largest trade union confederation in the Czech Republic. It brings together 30 trade unions (including UZO) and focuses on protecting wages, working conditions, living standards, and employee rights at the national level.

As a key social partner, it participates in tripartite negotiations with the government and employers within the Council for Economic and Social Agreement of the Czech Republic. ČMKOS is also a member of international trade union organizations such as:

• European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
• International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
• Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC)

 • The right of employees to strike is guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Article 27), which is an integral part of the Constitution of the Czech Republic. This right is further enshrined in international treaties to which the Czech Republic is a party, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions No. 87 and 98. Judges, public prosecutors, members of the armed forces, and security corps are not allowed to strike.

• The employer may prohibit a strike if the work stoppage would endanger the protection of lives, safety, or public health. Employees must inform their employer of their participation in a strike in a timely manner, ideally at least three working days in advance, similar to requesting a planned day off.

• A strike is defined as an organized work stoppage. During a strike, mutual rights and obligations between employees and the employer arising from the employment relationship or other labor-law relationships are temporarily suspended. The law considers a strike to be an obstacle to work on the employee's side, which the employer is required to excuse. From a labor law perspective, it is treated as an excused absence.

• The employer must not penalize employees for striking. Any sanctions, such as financial penalties, reprimands for violating work duties, termination of employment, or immediate dismissal, would be considered unlawful.

In the Czech Republic, strikes are primarily governed by Act No. 2/1991 Coll., on Collective Bargaining, and must be organized according to established rules to be considered legal.

Conditions for a Legal Trade Union Strike:

1. Purpose of the Strike
   • The strike must be aimed at protecting employees' rights, such as during collective bargaining.
   • It must not be a political strike (e.g., aimed solely against government decisions).

2. Collective Bargaining
   • A strike is allowed if it concerns a dispute over concluding a collective agreement.
   • Conciliation proceedings must take place before a strike, and they must fail to reach an agreement.

3. Strike Voting
   • The strike must be approved by a majority of employees participating in the vote.
   • The strike must be announced to the employer in advance (including the date and reason).

4. Compliance with Legal Rules
   • Trade unions must act in accordance with the law and must not violate other legal regulations, such as endangering workplace safety or public health.

No, your employer cannot fire you for being a union member.

According to the Czech Labor Code (§ 276 et seq.) and other legal regulations, the right to union membership is protected. The employer has no right to discriminate against employees based on their membership or participation in a trade union. This includes protection against dismissal or other sanctions related to union involvement.

If you feel that your employer is making your situation more difficult because of your union activities (e.g., harassment, reducing your wages, or dismissing you), you can:

1. Ask your trade union for assistance – we are here to protect you.
2. Contact the labor inspectorate, which investigates such cases.
3. In extreme cases, take legal action and go to court.

Your union membership is your legal right, and no employer has the right to harm you because of it.

Trade union membership is voluntary and is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Article 27). This right can only be restricted by law, not by the decision or demand of another person.

Managers cannot be restricted in their right to join a trade union.

Current legislation does not contain a definition of a conflict of interest regarding union membership. The former Act on Conflicts of Interest, which was replaced in 2006 by a new Act on Conflicts of Interest, no longer defines such a conflict.

A manager's main objective should be the proper fulfillment of work tasks, the prosperity of the employer, and the satisfaction of subordinate employees. These goals are almost identical to those of a trade union member (employer's prosperity, proper fulfillment of employees' work tasks, and their satisfaction).

Moreover, the law on conflicts of interest does not apply to trade union members or members of a trade union's statutory body. The Act on Conflicts of Interest regulates conflicts of interest for public officials (such as members of Parliament, government officials, municipal council members, and the Ombudsman). A trade union committee member is not a public official under this law.

Finally, it is essential to recognize that a shopkeeper in a managerial position is still an employee of the employer and does not significantly participate in the management of the company. Their role in running the business is not decisive.

For these reasons, there is no legal justification to prohibit employees in managerial positions from being members of a trade union or serving in an elected trade union body due to a conflict of interest.

This is not a conflict of interest in any way.

As an IKEA employee, you are entitled to 5 weeks of vacation per year. Additionally, employees gain 1 extra vacation day after one year of service, 3 extra days after three years, and 5 extra days if you have been with IKEA for more than 5 years.

When determining vacation, the employer is required to consider the legitimate interests of the employee. This means they should take into account your family circumstances, health condition, study obligations, and other factors. On the other hand, the employer is also limited by the operational needs of the company. They must ensure smooth business operations and customer service, which gives them the right to deny an employee's vacation request. However, at least one portion of your vacation should be granted in a minimum duration of 2 consecutive weeks. The only cases where the employer is obligated to approve a vacation request are immediately following maternity, paternity, or parental leave.

Similarly, the employer may order an employee to take vacation, for example, due to operational reasons. In such cases, they must inform you at least 14 days in advance. However, they cannot require you to take vacation during illness, maternity or parental leave, or in cases of weddings or funerals.

If you do not use your vacation within the given year, up to 5 days (upon signing a transfer request) may be carried over to the following year. The Labor Code does not allow unused vacation to be paid out, except in cases where the employment relationship is terminated.

For employees on an agreement-based contract, the same rules apply as for employees with a standard employment contract. However, the agreement must last at least 4 weeks, and employees must work four times their weekly working hours to be eligible for vacation.

Vacation is calculated in hours. For full-time employees, 1 vacation day equals 8 hours. A full-time employee working the entire year is entitled to 5x8x5 = 200 hours of vacation. For part-time employees, the number of vacation days remains the same, but the calculation is based on 1/5 of their weekly working hours. For example, with a 20-hour workweek: 20:5 = 1 vacation day = 4 hours, so 4x5x5 = 100 hours of vacation.

If an employee does not work the full year (e.g., due to starting or ending employment mid-year, long-term sick leave, or parental leave), vacation entitlement is proportionally reduced.

The employer also has the right to reduce vacation by 8 hours for each day of unexcused absence.

During the probationary period, employees are not entitled to vacation. However, the employer may grant vacation during this time, but this extends the probationary period by the duration of the vacation taken.

An exceptional situation arises when the employer cancels your vacation at the last minute or recalls you from vacation. This should only happen in extreme cases and due to serious operational reasons. In such cases, you are entitled to compensation for any damages incurred, such as reimbursement for a paid trip.

Doctor's appointment leave should be used only in exceptional cases when a medical examination or treatment cannot be scheduled outside working hours. Inform your employer about your doctor's visit as soon as possible.

The visit must be documented with a confirmation (leave slip) signed and stamped by the doctor within three days of the visit.

If an employee properly documents their medical visit, they are entitled to wage compensation for the necessary time required for treatment and travel to and from the doctor. However, several conditions must be met:

• The attending doctor has a contract with the employee's health insurance provider.

• The attending doctor is the closest to the employee's residence or workplace.

• The treatment cannot be performed outside working hours.

If the treatment is conducted outside the nearest available facility, the employer has the right to compensate only for the time equivalent to visiting the closest doctor.

Situations may arise on the employer's side that prevent employees from working, or an event may occur that prevents you as an employee from performing your job.

Obstacles on the Employer's Side

If an employee cannot work due to obstacles on the employer's side, they are entitled to wage compensation, ranging from 60% to 100% of their average earnings, depending on the type of obstacle. According to the Labor Code, these obstacles include:

• Downtime.

• Work interruption due to adverse weather conditions.

• Other obstacles – the employer fails to fulfill obligations arising from the employment contract (e.g., temporary reduction in sales or demand for services). In such cases, the employee is entitled to wage compensation equivalent to their average earnings.

• Time spent on a business trip or traveling outside the regular workplace during a work shift is considered an obstacle on the employer's side, during which the employee's wages are not reduced.

Obstacles on the Employee's Side

The Labor Code defines cases where the employer must excuse an employee's absence from work and, in some cases, compensate for lost wages:

• Doctor's visit – see doctor's appointment leave rules.

• Occupational health checkups, examinations, or vaccinations related to work performance – paid leave for the necessary time.

• Public transport disruptions or delays – unpaid leave for the necessary time if the employee cannot reach the workplace by alternative means.

• Wedding – 2 days off for your own wedding, one of which is paid. Parents are entitled to one paid day off to attend their child's wedding. A child has one paid day off to attend a parent's wedding.

• Childbirth – paid leave for transporting the mother to and from the hospital. Attending the birth is excused but unpaid.

• Death – paid leave: 2 days for the death of a spouse, partner, or child, plus 1 day for attending the funeral. 1 day for attending the funeral of a parent, sibling, or in-law, plus 1 day if arranging the funeral. 1 day for the funeral of a grandparent, grandchild, or cohabiting household member, plus 1 additional day if arranging the funeral.

• Accompanying a family member – Up to 1 day if necessary, provided the appointment could not be scheduled outside working hours. Paid leave applies for accompanying a spouse, partner, child, parent, or grandparent.

• Colleague's funeral – Paid leave for selected employees attending the funeral.

• Relocation – Up to 2 days off. Documentation (e.g., purchase or lease agreement) is required. If relocation is at the employer's request, these 2 days are paid.

• Job search – Unpaid leave for employees in their notice period, up to 1 half-day per week, for the duration of the notice period. These half-days may be combined if the employer agrees. If terminated under Labor Code § 52 (a-e), this leave is paid.

• Temporary work incapacity (sick leave), quarantine – The employer pays for the first 14 days. From day 15 onward, benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration: 60% of the reduced daily assessment base for days 15-30, 66% for days 31-60, and 72% from day 61 onward.

• Maternity and parental leave.

• Caring for a child under 10 years old or another dependent person under conditions set by the Sickness Insurance Act.

• Childcare leave – when the person normally caring for the child undergoes an examination or treatment that cannot be scheduled outside working hours.

Employees should inform their employer as soon as they become aware of an obstacle and request leave. If the obstacle arises unexpectedly (e.g., illness or injury), notify your employer without unnecessary delay.

A collective agreement is an important legal document that includes, among other things, employees' rights. Therefore, it is essential that employees have access to the collective agreement at all times so they can verify their rights. This is why Section 29 of the Labor Code obliges employers to ensure that the collective agreement is accessible to all their employees.

This does not mean that each employee must receive a personal copy from the employer; however, a collective agreement cannot, under any circumstances, be considered a confidential internal document. If an employee wishes to review the collective agreement, they must be allowed to do so.

In practice, this can be facilitated by allowing employees to inspect the collective agreement through supervisors or other designated employees, or by making its content available electronically—for example, by publishing it on the employer's website or sending a copy via email. Employees must be informed about how they can access the collective agreement at their workplace.

If an employer prevents employees from exercising their right to review the collective agreement, they are violating the Labor Code and may be subject to sanctions by the relevant labor inspectorate.

According to the Labor Code, a work-related injury is defined as damage to health or death that occurs independently of the employee's will due to a sudden, short-term, and violent external influence:

• while performing work tasks,
• in direct connection with the performance of work tasks,
• for the purpose of performing work tasks.

Health damage includes both physical injury and psychological disorders. To determine whether an employee was performing work tasks, their motivation or intent is not decisive; rather, it is essential whether their actions were objectively carried out for the employer from a substantive, local, and temporal perspective.

Acts directly related to the performance of work tasks include those necessary for carrying out work, those customary during work, and those required before starting or after completing work.

An injury sustained while changing in the locker room before the official start of working hours—if those hours are recorded in the work time records—is considered a work-related injury, including for compensation purposes. It is crucial that the employee's presence is properly recorded in the attendance records.

The Labor Code generally requires employers to inform employees about the following:

• Workplace risks as identified in the employer's risk assessment report,
• The classification of the job performed by the employee,
• The use of personal protective equipment (PPE),
• The provider of occupational health services (formerly known as the "company doctor"), including information on medical check-ups and any mandatory vaccinations.

Depending on the number of employees and the nature of the work, the employer is also obligated to train individuals responsible for providing first aid in the workplace.

Furthermore, workplace risk information should be detailed in specific guidelines, including the employer's instructions for work procedures and manufacturer manuals for technical equipment. In the retail sector, for example, this includes handling mechanized transport equipment, operating slicing machines, cleaning machines, lifting devices, working in refrigeration and freezing storage areas, and manual material handling.

Employees must also be informed about tasks and activities they are not allowed to perform and areas they are prohibited from entering.

The employer must also provide training in cases of changes in job assignment or work type, as well as for tasks requiring specialized training (e.g., welders, operators of special vehicles, boiler operators, etc.).

There are two cases in which an employer provides clothing to employees. The first is when the employer issues clothing for health and safety reasons, to protect against cold, excessive contamination, or for hygiene purposes. This type of clothing is considered personal protective equipment (PPE). Employers must have a directive in place that evaluates risks specifically for issuing PPE. Employees are required to use PPE for the tasks and activities specified in the directive.

The second reason for providing clothing is "standardized workwear." In this case, the employer requires employees to wear clothing of the same style and color for aesthetic and promotional purposes. Employees are obliged to wear this clothing and adhere to the designated color, style, logo, or pattern. The only adjustment allowed is in sizing.

The employer is required to prepare a written weekly work schedule (shift schedule) and inform employees of it or any changes at least two weeks before the start of the period to which the work schedule applies, unless a different notice period is agreed upon with the employee. This obligation applies to both irregular and regular work schedules.

Yes, an employer has the right to order an employee to work overtime, but only for serious operational reasons. Mandated overtime work must not exceed 8 hours per week and 150 hours per calendar year. Beyond this limit, the employer can require overtime only based on an agreement with the employee. The total amount of overtime work must not exceed an average of 8 hours per week over a period of up to 26 consecutive weeks. A collective agreement can extend this period to a maximum of 52 consecutive weeks.