Unions do not back off: Strike if pay law is not adopted by March

Unions in Kosovo are not backing off their request for this law to be adopted, and if that requirement is not realised by March, as the government has promised, strikes and protests warn. In addition to adopting the law that will regulate salaries at the country level, trade unions are demanding that their representatives be part of the working group for drafting the same.

The chairman of the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo, At and Hykoli, says the union's demand for the adoption of the Law of Salaries is extremely fair.

He says they will not back down from their request for this law to get green light during the first quarter of this year, contrary to the fact that they will take union action.

We're believing union demands, I'm saying B here. SPK, we believe it will come true, but we are in non-stop contact with our membership and at any moment we are willing to act even unionists. Our demands are right, the Law of Salaries to go to the Assembly, to be part of the discussions of the Law of Salaries, so that it can be voted and moved forward. We don't really want to go to strikes and protests, but if we don't have a choice then they're the option of achieving our”, says Hykoli.

The United Education, Science and Culture Union over the past year had warned of holding a protest on December 4th, but later canceled after the government's promise that the law would go to the Parliament in March.

If that promise is not realised, the chairman of this Nundman Jasharaj trade union says he will take union action to seek the adoption of the Law of Salaries.

The teacher's representative points out that if they enter the strike then lost hours will not be replaced.

The entire “depends on what March will be, especially what will bring us the end of March, does not depend on us, on the Kurti Government. If they work and keep their words and promises we will publicly congratulate, but if they consider this deadline to be extended, prolonging, lasting, let them know that the SBASK will then return membership, I will ask membership, and the Steering Council that is the highest body will bring about a merit decision, and if things don't happen properly, I fear that the end of March will bring us into the situation we once had in this law when we were forced to enter the strike, which lasted three weeks, Yax> says.

On the other hand, Blerim Syla, chairman of the Kosovo Health Union Federation, voiced sceptical that the law will be adopted in March of this year, as it says strikes are inevitable.

This is bad news for the people first, that we have suspended the strike for the sake of the people, because of the seasonal flu that we have many cases, and after the holidays we will once again sit the Steering Council, in co-ordination with other unions, you know that these have promised that this Law of the Gentiles will go somewhere in March. I'm personally very skeptical, but if you don't go then you know the statements of all unions, this is where health, education, civil servants, then you're afraid we're going to have a slightly stronger union reaction in Kosovo, says Syla.

In addition to adopting the law, unions are demanding that the union representatives be part of the working group for its drafting.

The chairman of the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo, At and Hykoli, says union participation in the processing group is very important as workers are those affected by this law.

The wage law is very important and we think that this law should go as fast as possible, but normally, unions should also be part of drafting the law because it mostly affects this category of workers. The Law of Salaries is very important because it stabilizes both the state, stabilizes the economic side of the state, so we are demanding that the Law of the Salaries be drafted, passed, but there must be a lot of caution”, he says.

The government had initially promised that the Law of Salaries would be adopted in the Assembly by the end of November, which was not realised.

The Law of Salaries was adopted by the government led by former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, but the same has been overturned by the Constitutional Court.