Union at AFAD

At the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava (AFAD / VŠVU), the Basic Organization of the Trade Union of Workers in Education and Science of Slovakia at AFAD currently represents the legitimate interests of employees and leads collective bargaining.


Links:

* Trade Union of Workers in Education and Science of Slovakia

* Confederation of Trade Unions (in Slovakia)


I want to become a member

  • You need to fill out the application form and the salary deduction agreement mentioned above. The originals must then be delivered either via internal mail or in person to the following address: Tomáš Jančařík, Drotárska cesta 44.
  • The monthly membership fee amounts to 1% of the net salary.

 


What can union membership bring me, and what are unions good for?

The mission of unions has always been to protect and defend the legitimate interests of their members. Membership in a union represents social solidarity and ensures greater efficiency in protecting employees' rights.

  1. Unions offer various services, benefits, and support for their members.
  2. Unions strive to improve working conditions for employees in their sector, benefiting all workers in general.

The activities and expenditures mentioned above are financed through membership fees.

Ad 1. What benefits can union membership bring to you?

The range of benefits available to you as a member of a union includes:

  • Protection of legitimate interests: Legal services in employment-related matters, including representation in court and legal advice on civil disputes.
  • Support and assistance in social matters for members.
  • A special section for young people under 35 years old, as this group faces challenges such as low remuneration and specific issues when starting their careers.
  • Access to professional advice and information, along with support for professional development.

Ad 2. What are the benefits of union activities for employees and society as a whole?

The benefits of union activities that you enjoy, whether you are a union member or not, include:

  • Negotiating higher-level Collective Agreements (CA) in the education sector, focusing on salary increases, pay adjustments, benefits exceeding the Labor Code, and equal conditions for non-teaching staff in education.
  • Negotiating lower-level Collective Agreements, implemented by our Basic Organization at VŠVU, which provides additional benefits beyond the higher-level Collective Agreement.
  • Supervision of compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) and the Labor Code: unions oversee employers' adherence to workplace safety and labor laws.
  • Partnership in drafting laws and regulations: Unions collaborate with lawmakers to shape legislation and regulations affecting employees.

Historically, collective worker organizations have fought for conditions now considered standard in developed nations, such as limited working hours, health and social insurance, workplace safety and fire protection, the prohibition of child labor, and many others.

Similarly, the relatively high standard of living for manual workers and a strong middle class, seen in countries like Germany or the USA in the 1950s to 1970s, was not just the result of robust economies or geopolitical circumstances but also the outcome of active and strong unions that ensured workers shared in this prosperity.