Lithuania: tourist guides are organized

On 27 March 2010 the Lithuanian trade union „Solidarumas“ Coordinating Council confirmed the membership of the Tourist guides trade union „Solidarumas“.

Chairperson of this organization Ričardas Garuolis says that „being trade union we can influence our working conditions, we can be strong in negotiations and establish the prices for the tourist guides services. The trade will be the instrument to facilitate negotiations on tourist guides working conditions and social guarantees with the tourism agencies and the authorities. The hour price of Lithuanian tourist guides is the lowest in the region (120-150 Litas= 35-45Euro).“

The main problems of the tourist guides are the following: low wages, no confirmed typical agreement to provide service that would unify working conditions. There is no tourist guides‘ register in foreign languages. That is why the plans include to create the data base in English and other languages. The tourist guides are planning to solve other problems related to the tourism sector in Lithuania.

/Solidarumas