2014

Outbreak of suicide - a fact clearly speaking about social problems. Kupiškis is leading the country in accordance with the number of suicides. “Prospects of volunteering on suicide prevention” - a topic of seminar in Kupiškis on May 23 led by Vytautas Magnus University lecturer philosopher Algirdas Davidavičius.

Article in Kupiškis municipal internet page (LT).

On May 9 in Ukmergė was held a public discussion on "Work supports the health - does it?". About work and health harmonization challenges spoke member of Ukmergė district council, chairperson of community health council Elena Mirinavičienė. The best of Polish local practices regarding labor and health harmonization problems shared project coordinator Tomas Tomilinas. Vice President of the Union of Lithuanian Healthiest Sigita Kriaučiūnienė in her report asked is the work hindering to be healthy. Chairperson of Ukmergės District Tripartite Council Jolanta Keburienė presented the work conditions in Ukmergė ambulance.

On April 18 recently established Kupiškis District Tripartite Council held a discussion in municipality in which mainly discussed health-related issues. Council Chairman Vida Pranckūnienė informed public participation in district health prevention programs (cancer and cardiovascular disease), funded by the state.

Kupiškis district from year to year according to the number of suicides is leading in the country, and a Tripartite Council try to deal with this painful subject, and perhaps find some solutions.

Article Kupiškio municipal portal (LT).

On April 11 project “Grass-root municipality social dialogue” leader Tomas Tomilinas took part in the conference “Municipal as an employer“ in Poland. This conference – part of of the Polish Association of Municipalities project "Social dialogue in the municipal sector and enterprises“, funded by the Norway grant.

2013 tripartite council was set up in Kupiskis. On January 21 representatives from that district with chairwoman of council Vida Pranckūnienė took part in the tripartite council meeting of Ukmerge. More than five years ago established council, which represents the local trade unions, employers' organizations and the municipality, this time discussed about health issues.

The biggest issue - ambulance service: staff complain of poor working conditions and low wages. Doctor in chief of the municipal primary health care center Janina Galiauskienė presented in numbers the ambulance service situation, answered questions posed by workers' representatives. V.Pranckūnienė, witch is also head of Lithuanian doctor union in Kupiškis, told how the problems are solved in Kupiškis primary health care center. According to her, the are no major problems in the area, because finances handled transparently and trade unions are involved in social dialog. Member of Ukmergė municipality council Elena Mirinavičienė presented preventive health care program, which was approved last year in municipal. The project was born in the tripartite council meetings. According to the program employees of municipal institutions and companies have possibility to check health during the working time. Programs name will be "Work supports health".

Deputy Mayor Rolandas Janickas noted that when there is financial situation, it is very important the atmosphere in the team. And it can be good only when the resources are managed in a transparent manner. He proposed to meet both sides and agree on budgeting principles of emergency service.

“Dialogue starts with an agreement to respect each other, - said the debate moderator Tomas Tomilinas – In Ukmergė we can agree a lot, but first of all - for transparency”.

Article (LT) and photos in projects internet portal, in local media, trade union news, health news, Ignalina and Ukmergė municipal portals.

2013

On December 6-7 training - an interactive session of the project "Grass-root municipality social dialogue" took place in Kupiškis district. Training Moderator - Deputy General Director of Lithuanian Business Employers' Confederation Vaidotas Levickis - used the World Café method.

The most active people from Kupiškis were welcomed by mayor Jonas Jarutis. They try to answer questions: what are we doing well and what we need to continue to do; what we are doing wrong; what we don't do, but need to start doing and what is the one thing of all the things that we discussed would create the largest shift to the economic-social sustainability in the region. On the second day working in groups the participants had to choose one very specific goal and develop a plan to achieve it. Most of attention got the projects, where the business and social goals meet together. Article (LT) and photos.

The Project group from Ignalina meton November 8to clear the exact target of project activities. They decided to work on task, how to make the youth to come back to home town after studies. Article in LT.

On October 31 Ukmergė municipal approved the preventive health care program, which was born in the tripartite meetings. Employees of municipal institutions and companies will have possibility to check health during the working time. Article in LT.

On October 10 met tripartite council of Ukmergė. Municipal council member Elena Mirinavičienė introduced the project of health care program “Day of your health”, which was born in the tripartite meetings. It will be on the agenda of municipal council meeting 30th of October.

In the meeting was also discussed about the imminent reduction in the area of medical personnel in Ukmergė and obstacles to provide timely emergency ambulance; T. Tomilinas, E. Mirinavičienė, J. Keburienė currently shared their impressions from the trip in Norway. Article in LT.

The project team visited Norway on September 22-25. Norwegian project partners prepared an excellent and intensive program for Lithuanians. Here you can finde article and photos in LT and EN.

Article published also in portals of Ignalina, Kupiškis municipalities, news portals lprofsajungos.lt, pareigunai.lt.

End of June the group of project met to summarize and valuate the project events.

On June 6-7 training - an interactive session of the project “Grass-root municipality social dialogue” took place in ecological farmstead “Ievalaukis” in Ignalina district. Training Moderator - Deputy General Director of Lithuanian Business Employers' Confederation Vaidotas Levickis - used the World Café method. That is, when the participants together in groups looking for answers to certain questions.

Project participants and friends from Ignalina, Kupiskis, Ukmerge, Svencionys. Visaginas, Vilnius first day try to answer questions: what are we doing well and what we need to continue to do; what we are doing wrong; what we don’t do, but need to start doing and what is the one thing of all the things that we discussed would create the largest shift to the economic-social sustainability in the region. On the second day working in groups the participants had to choose one very specific goal and develop a plan to achieve it.

Article (LT) and photos. Article in internet page of Ignalina municipality and

and trade union news portal.

On May 20 In Ignalina took part Youth Work Forum where discussed local youth, entrepreneurs, government representatives. Entrepreneurs reviewed the situation in the various markets, discussed about the future.

Mayor Bronis Rope told about the future plans of the district. Project manager Tomas Tomilinas introduced trade unions as tool to protect workers' rights. The conclusion of the discussion: youth in Lithuania are not prepared for working life. The article about the meeting (LT), news in internet page of Ignalina municipality.

On May 15 social partners met in Ukmerge. This municipality has already established the Tripartite Council, but its activities are quite formalized and doesn’t cover the real problem areas. This was an overview of the issues which were discussed on the first meeting: the situation in boilers producing factory "Vienybe" and the idea, which has turned to the project ​​"Your Health Day”. How did it worked read here (LT).

On March 14-15 in Lithuanian Parliament was held two days conference “Social dialogue “reanimation”. Approach from three perspectives: Lithuania. Norway. Province”.

The detailed article about reports and speeches in the conference you can find here (in LT).

There are also slides and videos (EN part I, EN part II) from the conference.

There was also some news from the conference in the media. Professor Romas Lazutka about the unfavourable conditions for people in Lithuanian labour market (in LT).

Mayor of Ignalina Bronis Ropė about disadvantages for municipal authorities to do the right decisions in local level and pressure to privatise the public sector (LT in news portal about trade unions lprofsajungos.lt and Ignalina's municipal official internet page).

Vice-Chairman of Parliament, the former trade union leader Algirdas Sysascriticized the unions for failure to act (LT).

On February 2013 has started implementation of 2-year project "Grass-root municipality social dialogue" by meeting of project stakeholders in Ignalina and Ukmergė.