Union reps to meet with PM on Thursday

A union leader has confirmed for B92 that he refused PM’s personal request to talk about the draft Law on Pension and Disability Insurance. But a trade unions’ negotiating team will meet with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic on Thursday. Union reps to meet with PM on Thursday Representatives of five unions have announced that they will begin gathering signatures in a bid to bring down the government and organize warning strikes and street protests in November. Head of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (SSSS) Ljubisav Orbovic says that he refused the invitation because the unions have already formed a negotiating team and a platform and that they can only negotiate under those terms. He said that that Cvetkovic’s invitation was just another attempt to stall and “create smoke and mirrors”. Orbovic has announced that the unions will begin gathering signatures for government’s dismissal on November 2, that daily warning strikes will begin on November 10 and that street protests will be staged the day MPs will vote on the draft bill. “It is frivolous to have three different statements about the same thing from the PM in three days, and five different statements of the government members,” the head of the SSSS stressed and added that the government was not united on the issue. He explained that the union was disappointed because the government had not consulted them before deciding to return the draft bill on the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance to parliamentary procedure without changing it, and named Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabic as the main culprit. President of the Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions Ranka Savic has assessed that unions are united this time and claims that there is no political motive behind their actions, but solely dissatisfaction with social-economic conditions in the country. Representatives of Sloga Affiliated Unions Zeljko Veselinovic said that the government had deceived unions and citizens and denied that there was a political background to the unions’ requests. “We are united for the first time and we will finish this. Either them or us. We’re not retreating and we will go to protests and strikes,” he stressed. Representative of Industrial Union of Serbia Dragan Matic accused Krkobabic of disrespecting previously reached agreement and wondered who the real PM was in the country, Krkobabic or Cvetkovic. He also accused Trade Union Nezavisnost, which is not supporting other unions, of being a “regime union”. “A representative union is the one that fights for the rights of citizens and workers, and not the one which makes a pact with this government,” Matic concluded. Today's news conference (Beta)

Union reps to meet with PM on Thursday

Representatives of five unions have announced that they will begin gathering signatures in a bid to bring down the government and organize warning strikes and street protests in November.

Head of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (SSSS) Ljubisav Orbović says that he refused the invitation because the unions have already formed a negotiating team and a platform and that they can only negotiate under those terms.

He said that that Cvetković’s invitation was just another attempt to stall and “create smoke and mirrors”.

Orbović has announced that the unions will begin gathering signatures for government’s dismissal on November 2, that daily warning strikes will begin on November 10 and that street protests will be staged the day MPs will vote on the draft bill.

“It is frivolous to have three different statements about the same thing from the PM in three days, and five different statements of the government members,” the head of the SSSS stressed and added that the government was not united on the issue.

He explained that the union was disappointed because the government had not consulted them before deciding to return the draft bill on the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance to parliamentary procedure without changing it, and named Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabić as the main culprit.

President of the Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions Ranka Savić has assessed that unions are united this time and claims that there is no political motive behind their actions, but solely dissatisfaction with social-economic conditions in the country.

Representatives of Sloga Affiliated Unions Željko Veselinović said that the government had deceived unions and citizens and denied that there was a political background to the unions’ requests.

“We are united for the first time and we will finish this. Either them or us. We’re not retreating and we will go to protests and strikes,” he stressed.

Representative of Industrial Union of Serbia Dragan Matić accused Krkobabić of disrespecting previously reached agreement and wondered who the real PM was in the country, Krkobabić or Cvetković.

He also accused Trade Union Nezavisnost, which is not supporting other unions, of being a “regime union”.

“A representative union is the one that fights for the rights of citizens and workers, and not the one which makes a pact with this government,” Matić concluded.