The National Association of Workers' Councils is requesting an amendment to the labor code after several employees indicated that they either could not or had extremely difficulty participating in the elections on June 9 because they had a conflict with their employer citing working hours.
Those employees who had to work during the opening hours of the polling stations were only able to cast their votes with serious difficulties on June 9. In more than one case, it happened that the workers assigned to the voting day did not have the opportunity to participate in the European Parliament and local government elections, or because of the employer's attitude, they had to choose between casting a vote or being paid - Mandiner the National Association of Workers' Councils.
Imre Szilárd Szabó , the executive vice-president of the trade union association, drew attention to the fact that there are currently no itemized regulations that would adequately guarantee that employees assigned to the voting day can go to vote during their working hours. employees.
Therefore, the Workers' Councils recommend that on the day of the election of members of parliament, local government representatives and mayors, national and local referendums, and MEPs
those employees who have to work on the day of the poll based on their schedule should be exempted from the obligation to work for a maximum of two hours upon payment of an absence fee.
- Several workers from the areas of the manufacturing industry indicated that, due to their position, it was either extremely difficult for them to exercise their right to vote, or they could not participate in the elections at all. We also learned of a case in which the employer asked for a certificate from someone who would have participated in the voting, but was scheduled for June 9, so he could only cast his vote during working hours - warned Zsolt Kozma, the vice-president responsible for the competition sector of the Workers' Councils, in response to Mandiner's question.
The Workers' Councils find that local negotiations alone cannot guarantee the exercise of the right to vote. Legal frameworks are needed that give all employees the opportunity to exercise their right to vote
- emphasized the vice-president.
Imre Szilárd Szabó pointed out that the employer is currently not obliged by any clause to allow the employee to participate in the vote. It is also not possible to cast a vote at the workplace, since a request for a mobile ballot box can only be submitted by a voter listed in the polling station register, whose movement is restricted due to their health condition or disability, as well as due to detention. It would be a solution if the employer were obliged by law to allow the employee to vote (a solution for this could be the imposition of the itemized exemption rule, or even the fixing of the obligation to schedule working hours for such specific cases, or it would even be possible to request a mobile ballot box at the workplace, for the election by amending the Act on Procedure.
The worst case, in connection with which we also received a signal, was that the employer stipulated that the employee must prove participation in the vote. This also shows that the current legal arguments are not sufficient in practice
Zsolt Kozma stressed.
Voting day is not a public holiday. Regular working hours on Sundays can only be assigned in exceptional cases if the nature of the work requires it, including non-stop, multi-shift or stand-by positions. First of all, their schedule can be an obstacle to participation in the election, as well as for those who have been ordered to work overtime. This kind of work is also typical in the areas of the manufacturing industry, trade or transport, for example.
Photo: Attila Balázs / MTI
