Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2000, published 89th ILC session (2001)

Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131) - Lithuania (Ratification: 1994)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report.

Articles 1 and 4 of the Convention.  The Committee notes the Government’s indication that in 1999 the Ministry of Social Security and Labour developed the principles and the procedure for the determination of minimum wages. According to the system of minimum wage fixing so established, proposals for the determination of the amount of minimum wage are submitted by the Permanent Labour Remuneration Committee of the Tripartite Board of the Republic of Lithuania which consists of representatives of trade unions, representatives of employers’ organizations, and government officials of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Agriculture. The Committee further notes that on 11 February 1999 a tripartite agreement was signed by the Government, trade unions and employers’ organizations regarding the minimum monthly salary and the minimum wage rate per hour, and that a similar agreement fixing or adjusting the minimum wage has to be signed each year before 1 December. The Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of both the 1999 establishment of the principles and the procedure for the determination of minimum wages, and of the tripartite agreement of 11 February 1999.

Articles 2 and 5 of the Convention and Part V of the report form.  The Committee notes that according to the 1999 report of the State Labour Inspection, violations of the labour legislation were detected in 70 per cent of inspected enterprises, while infringements of the Law on Wages were observed in 30 per cent of inspected enterprises, including delayed payment or non-payment of the minimum wage, bonuses and other allowances. The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the need to adopt the necessary measures to establish appropriate sanctions in the event of infringements of standards respecting minimum wages with a view to guaranteeing workers the payment of such rates. In this regard, the Committee notes that by Act No. VIII-1486 of 21 December 1999, the Government revised the administrative code setting higher fines for breach of the laws and regulations concerning the calculation and payment of labour remuneration. The Committee requests the Government to forward a copy of the aforementioned Act.

The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed of any future developments on the points raised above.