The Role of Trade Unions in Regulating Social and Labour Relations and Shaping National Policy in Latvia

Abstract

The relevance of this study is dictated by the need to determine the role of trade unions in social and labour relations and their degree of influence on the national policy of the Republic of Latvia. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of influence of trade unions on social and labour relations within the framework of the current labour legislation of Latvia and to find potential ways to improve the efficiency of national policy, considering the requirements and desires of the working population of the country. The methodological framework of this study was based on the following methods of cognition: generalisation, analysis and synthesis, analogy, and SWOT analysis. The findings of this study are presented in determining the level of influence of trade unions on the lives of working people in the Republic of Latvia. The paper described the existing trend in Latvian society regarding the popularity of joining trade unions, as well as the conditions for the influence of trade unions on the development and reform of the national policy of the Republic of Latvia, considering the needs, desires, and interests of the working population (society) who are members of trade unions. The results of the study determined the potential significance of trade unions in regulating social and labour relations in Latvia along with the country’s legislation and reflect the role of trade unions in establishing communications between society and the state (using evidence from the 2022 protests). The practical significance of this study is conditioned upon the possibility of using the results obtained in the future for a more in-depth study of the role of trade unions as a tool for communication between society and the state, a mechanism for regulating social and labour relations and supporting workers in Latvia, through the influence on the formation of national policy