Unions announce boycott of Labor Law debate

Representatives of SSSS and UGSN said that they will boycott the public debate on the draft on amendments and additions to the labor law. This is very bad decision. Serbia needs to continue negotiations with the IMF. On the other hand, our country has big problems in the financing of companies that do not provide adequate business results. Such is the case with Srbijagas, who is in debt of 800 million euros. Serbia must try to get through structural reform, to solve the problem of enterprise restructuring, as that companies would not be ruined, but renew their work.

The trade union leaders' position does not help workers in general - the current law is clearly chilling private sector employment - but stopping labor law modernization could help public sector and public enterprise employees for a while. Unnecessary or poorly performing public sector employees who the taxpayers are compensating would lose some of their job protections if the law is modernized to bring Serbia into at least the most rigid EU labor laws. The union leaders don't clearly say that their intent is to protect this segment of their union members, but there is no other rational explanation for their attempt to undermine democracy in Serbia by blocking dialogue on an important law. I would prefer to see the unions look forward and work with the Government, civil society and businesses to build a Serbia that is able to grow its economy and employ the army of unemployed. Trade unions can play an important role in economic and social development - and they would ultimately benefit from a growing economy and more employed citizens.

Representatives of SSSS and UGSN said that they will boycott the public debate on the draft on amendments and additions to the labor law. This is very bad decision. Serbia needs to continue negotiations with the IMF. On the other hand, our country has big problems in the financing of companies that do not provide adequate business results. Such is the case with Srbijagas, who is in debt of 800 million euros. Serbia must try to get through structural reform, to solve the problem of enterprise restructuring, as that companies would not be ruined, but renew their work.

The trade union leaders' position does not help workers in general - the current law is clearly chilling private sector employment - but stopping labor law modernization could help public sector and public enterprise employees for a while. Unnecessary or poorly performing public sector employees who the taxpayers are compensating would lose some of their job protections if the law is modernized to bring Serbia into at least the most rigid EU labor laws. The union leaders don't clearly say that their intent is to protect this segment of their union members, but there is no other rational explanation for their attempt to undermine democracy in Serbia by blocking dialogue on an important law. I would prefer to see the unions look forward and work with the Government, civil society and businesses to build a Serbia that is able to grow its economy and employ the army of unemployed. Trade unions can play an important role in economic and social development - and they would ultimately benefit from a growing economy and more employed citizens.