PM: Talks with unions to continue

The government and employers' associations will continue talks with worker unions regarding the implementation of an earlier signed collective agreement. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said that the talks would continue today, and that they will be headed by Labor Minister Rasim Ljajic, though the prime minister will probably be in attendance as well. PM: Talks with unions to continue Cvetkovic said that the government does not want to take its signature off the agreement with the workers and employers, but wants the implementation of the collective agreement to be postponed until the international economic crisis passes. At a meeting of the Social-Economic Council on Friday the government proposed that the collective agreement be postponed for a period of in between six and 12 months. Worker union officials, however, have threatened that they will organize strikes on January 1 if this happens, while the employers’ organizations have proposed that the agreement’s implementation be postponed for a year because of the financial crisis. At the same time, Employers’ Association and Social-Economic Council President Stevan Avramovic claims that they have left the talks and will not be attending new consultations if they are called.

PM: Talks with unions to continue

Cvetković said that the government does not want to take its signature off the agreement with the workers and employers, but wants the implementation of the collective agreement to be postponed until the international economic crisis passes.

At a meeting of the Social-Economic Council on Friday the government proposed that the collective agreement be postponed for a period of in between six and 12 months.

Worker union officials, however, have threatened that they will organize strikes on January 1 if this happens, while the employers’ organizations have proposed that the agreement’s implementation be postponed for a year because of the financial crisis.

At the same time, Employers’ Association and Social-Economic Council President Stevan Avramović claims that they have left the talks and will not be attending new consultations if they are called.