Industrial relations in the czech republic

Czech representative democracy was initiated from the top down afterNovember 1989. Citizen's associations, trade unions and Tripartite are themajor mediators and interest-representing bodies outside political parties.Trade unions are highly centralised an donly bargain and conclude collectiveagreements on behalf of employees. Union membership dropped sharply from100% of the economically active population in 1989 to 21% in 1997. Tradeunions worked in partnership with government to formulate social policy inthe years 1990-1997, most often in Tripartite. This partnership contributedto the general support of economic transformation and influenced thewillingness of people to carry the burden of privatization. However, since1997 these partners have demonstrated efforts to rely less on Tripartite.Instead, they make representations directly to Parliament and rely upon thelegal provisions on collective bargaining.citizen community, trade unions, employers' associations, tripartite, collective bargaining