October 7 – World Day for Decent Work – is not about sending ceremonial greetings. It is an opportunity to raise a fundamental question: what kind of work are we creating in Lithuania today, and what kind of labour market do we want tomorrow?

Decent work is about more than simply having a job. It means fair pay that allows people to live with dignity, a safe and healthy working environment, the possibility to balance work and personal life, opportunities for professional development, and workers’ right to have a voice in decisions concerning their working conditions.

The Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK) has consistently maintained that Lithuania’s competitiveness cannot be built on cheap labour. Labour shortages should not be addressed by lowering labour standards or looking for people willing to work for less.

We need to invest in people, their skills, technology and productivity. Therefore, we should first look for ways to make better use of the potential of the people already living and working in Lithuania.

Older workers need opportunities to update their skills and adapt to technological change. People with disabilities need accessible and adapted workplaces. Young people need more than just any job – they need prospects: quality and properly paid internships, decent wages, stability and opportunities for professional growth.

The arrival of workers from other countries can help address genuine labour shortages. However, migration must not become a tool for reducing workers’ incomes or accepting lower standards of job quality.

Artificial intelligence is also creating new challenges. Technology can increase productivity and make work easier, but it must not be introduced without consulting workers or bypassing their rights.

Moreover, the political agenda should already address another fundamental question: who will benefit from the additional value and productivity gains created by new technologies?

If we create more value in the same amount of time, the benefits must also reach workers – through higher wages, better working conditions, investment in skills or shorter working hours.

Decent work is also impossible without workers having a voice. People must have a genuine opportunity to negotiate their working conditions collectively and defend their interests together. Strong trade unions and collective bargaining are not an obstacle to competitiveness – they are a sign of a mature labour market.

The state itself must also set the direction. Public and European Union funds should create quality jobs rather than subsidise “cheap” labour. Businesses receiving public support must ensure fair pay, safe working conditions and respect for workers’ rights to organise and engage in collective bargaining.

We must pursue these principles at European Union level as well. That is why LPSK supports efforts to ensure that the future EU Quality Jobs Act includes effective instruments for raising standards of job quality.

Lithuania has a choice: compete through cheaper labour, or invest in people, technology and quality jobs. We choose the second path and invite everyone who makes decisions about the future of Lithuania’s labour market and economy to take it with us.

Dalia Jakutavičė, Acting President of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK)