Serbian trade unions start protests

The Alliance of Independent Unions will hold the first in a series of announced protests in the southern town of Krusevac today. The protests come due to the bad economic situation and changes to the law on pension insurance. Serbian trade unions start protests Union leader Ljubisav Orbovic told B92 that workers were dissatisfied by high unemployment figures, low wages rarely paid on time and the latest wave of price hikes, and also mentioned the consequences of privatizations. Orbovic said that the proposed changes to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance were bad and "must be withdrawn from the parliamentary procedure", saying that the law was restrictive as it stands. "The protest will begin in Krusevac, and after that protests have been scheduled in Bor, Novi Sad, while on the day the law enters parliament's procedure, there will be protests in Belgrade too," said Orbovic. He would not predict how many people would turn out, but said that the protests in other towns were in fact preparation for the central one in Belgrade. "Once we are in Belgrade, we will not leave the city in three hours' time, we will try to persevere in protests, until the law has been withdrawn from parliament," he stated. According to him, all union organizations finally saw eye to eye on their own demands and the position of workers, and said there was unity on this front. The Serbian government harmonized the controversial law with the IMF. Union leaders also met with the organization's officials during their recent visit to Belgrade.

Serbian trade unions start protests

Union leader Ljubisav Orbović told B92 that workers were dissatisfied by high unemployment figures, low wages rarely paid on time and the latest wave of price hikes, and also mentioned the consequences of privatizations.

Orbović said that the proposed changes to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance were bad and "must be withdrawn from the parliamentary procedure", saying that the law was restrictive as it stands.

"The protest will begin in Kruševac, and after that protests have been scheduled in Bor, Novi Sad, while on the day the law enters parliament's procedure, there will be protests in Belgrade too," said Orbović.

He would not predict how many people would turn out, but said that the protests in other towns were in fact preparation for the central one in Belgrade.

"Once we are in Belgrade, we will not leave the city in three hours' time, we will try to persevere in protests, until the law has been withdrawn from parliament," he stated.

According to him, all union organizations finally saw eye to eye on their own demands and the position of workers, and said there was unity on this front.

The Serbian government harmonized the controversial law with the IMF. Union leaders also met with the organization's officials during their recent visit to Belgrade.