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Most importantly, the government is implementing plans for the more efficient utilization of existing manpower resources. Time losses are estimated at 20-25% because of long coffee breaks, the use of worktime for personal chores, and generally apathetic attitudes toward work. Managers have encouraged workers to take fewer coffee breaks, to compete for production goals, and to utilize nonworking time for personal chores. New measures adopted in 1971 included the addition of four unpaid working shifts annually, a 10% cut in administrative staff, and an increase in production quotas.
Many workers resent these attempts to step up production, viewing them as a cut in their real wages, and as unfairly applied to workers as opposed to management. There is little sign of overt political unrest but morale and discipline are low and are expressed in slowdowns and a high rate of absenteeism. In 1971, Husak said that some 500,000 workers stay out of work daily because of real or feigned illness. Strict laws regulating absenteeism were passed to counteract this trend. Although rarely invoked, the new regulations provide punishment of up to 3 months in prison or a heavy fine for those who "systematically and without substantive cause miss work." On the positive side, Husak has emphasized the provision of food and consumer goods as a means of stemming worker discontent. These measures have had some effect, as official sources claim that absenteeism during the first 9 months of 1973 dropped to 189,000 per day.
Workers also resent the favoritism shown party members, who are assured of the best jobs and their children guaranteed space in crowded educational facilities. In some cases, enterprises having excess money in wage funds contribute bonuses to party members without regard to job performance. Following the 1968 invasion, moreover, many qualified technicians were removed from supervisory positions and replaced by "politically reliable" persons in a so-called consolidation process. Screening for political reliability was stepped up in 1972 following growing signs of worker unrest.
Attitudes toward work are also adversely affected by the magnitude of bribery and corruption in most industrial plants. Monetary or material payments are commonly made at all levels of administration to obtain spare parts, machinery, and raw materials.
The labor shortage is compounded by a high rate of turnover, termed the "chronic illness" of the Czech economy. Some one-fourth of all Czech workers change jobs annually either to improve their income and chances for advancement or because of dissatisfaction with the administration of their enterprise. The highest turnover is among young workers, many of whom are highly trained but cannot be placed in suitable jobs. Almost half of all workers under age 30 remain in their place of employment less than 2 years. The regime's efforts to reduce this rate of turnover include an emphasis on improving relations between supervisors and workers and giving rewards for length of service. In addition, a crackdown is underway on those enterprises which lure workers from other plants with excessive promises. Since June 1971, moreover, the national committees have been empowered to regulate employment in order to see to it that priority industries—mining, agriculture, and construction—receive the necessary personnel. The committees are informed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs as to the numbers of workers and their qualifications in given regions and the requirements of the economy in the area. They are then expected to maintain a balance between manpower resources and industrial and agricultural requirements. In some cases, the committees have determined that enterprises have been requesting manpower far in excess of their requirements; they then advise the enterprise on a more effective utilization of existing manpower. Under the new uniform system of regulating employment, moreover, enterprises found to have a high turnover rate can be spotted and properly dealt with. Also, the committees are empowered to offer bonuses, free housing, moving expenses, and large interest-free loans in order to recruit personnel for high priority areas.
b. Labor legislation and organizations
As is true in other Communist countries, the regulation of labor is based upon the premise that the workers own the means of production and thus have a commonality of interests with the state and with management. Thus since 1948 labor legislation has been directed as much to the fulfillment of the economic plan as it is to the improvement and the safeguarding of the worker's lot. The present labor code closely regulates all aspects of employment—labor contracts, work hours, wages, health and safety, labor disputes, and the employment of women and children—but it has been applied almost consistently in favor of the state. Except for a brief period during the Dubcek government, strikes have been illegal and collective bargaining as practiced in the Western countries is nonexistent. Because of increasing dissatisfaction with the present code, the regime in late 1973 was preparing a new labor code which is
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110015-7
