Trade unions demand labour minister to resign

BELGRADE - The organizing committees of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (SSSS) and the United Branch Trade Unions (UGS) Independence launched an initiative on Monday for the dismissal of Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran Care and Social Affairs Aleksandar Vulin, the two prominent trade unions released.

The decision was adopted at the joint meeting of trade union representatives, with an explanation that the trade unions are demanding dismissal of Minister Vulin because of his role in the adoption of the amendments to the labour law.

SSSS and UGS Independence are dissatisfied with the fact that the bill was sent to the parliament for adoption and was adopted on Friday, July 18, without prior public debate.

This is the reason why the two trade unions first left the Social Economic Council and then staged a protest which, according to police assessments, gathered around 4,200 trade union members from entire Serbia on the day when the bill was due to be adopted.

The trade union leaders voiced a request during the protest for President Tomislav Nikolic to refuse to sign the controversial bill which, as they said, does not serve the interests of employees because it curbs their rights.

On Monday, Vulin announced that a law on strike and a law on trade unions would be adopted soon to regulate union issues, including prominence of trade unions.