KDI: Manufacturing labor rights, growing trend

The Kosovo Democratic Institute has provided details regarding selective practices and labour rights violations even in the public sector, focusing particularly on a case in the Pristina municipality that has resulted in violations of the rights of workers of educational institutions in this municipality.

It was said there in September last year, KDI has accepted a report by Edona Berisha, teaching at SML “Ali Sokoli” in Pristina, for denial of the right to medical rest, I follow the clan.

Albesa Humolli, representative of KDI, stressed that in recent years it is an alarming increase in crime reporting from the labour relationship and irregularities in the workplace.

The citizen reports that KDI-ALAC accepts on a daily basis present a grim view of the public and private sector in Kosovo, where denial of workers' rights is becoming increasingly widespread. These reports usually contain substantial violations, such as lack of formal work contract, failing to pay for pension contributions, and refusing an annual or medical vacation at payment or late pay. These frequent and disturbing reports not only underline the many problems with workers' rights, even at their most basic level, but are indicators of where the fight against corruption in the country is going and which sectors are the most affected by corruption”.

” while most labour rights violations are reported in the private sector, KDI-ALAC has noted an increase in the number of cases of violations by the working relationship within the public sector, so challenging the overall perception that employment in the public sector is more regulated and that employees' rights in this sector are more protected. Unlike the private sector, where violations often occur after employment, the public sector sees major violations during the employment process, including recruiting. However, recent cases of public institution employees being presented in KDI-ALAC with reports on violations of their rights in the workplace” have been repeated.

According to her, the education institution in question had dismissed her from her baptism due to her one-day lack of work at her place of health causes, stressing in the decision that as valid evidence is only that issued by the Chief Centre of Family Medicine, not even the confirmation issued by other family medicine centres in Pristina's municipality.

In September of last year, KDI received a report from Mrs. Edona Berisha, a teacher at the SHML “Ali Sokoli” in Pristina, for denying the right to medical rest. The education institution in question had dismissed it due to a one-day lack of work at the workplace for health reasons ʹ stressing in the decision that as valid confirmation is only the one issued by the Family Medicine Centre, not even the confirmation issued by other family medicine centres in the Pristina municipality”.

) KDI-ALAC had assisted Mrs. Berisha complains to the education Directorate in the Pristina municipality in question. The DKA had rejected the complaint, citing a recognition scroll (03-646-2023) of September 2023, under which it is only known as medical signs and medical holidays issued by the main Family Medicine Centre”.

” This circuit sets limits for educators on taking medical rest and thus exceeds the legal requirements specified by the law of labor in force, as well as the very work contracts signed between teachers and municipality. Although without adequate legal support in acts in power, KDI-ALAC has found that this circuit has created controversy as well as contourist and nonconsistent practices in implementation as well. As a result, KDI, through a request for access to public documents, has received official confirmation from the Pristina Community that the circuit in question is interpreted into the spirit that the currency is considered all claims issued by all public health institutions, including the common family medical centers”.

This case, but others of this nature, speaks of selective practices of public institutions in relation to employment relations management and respect for rights from the labour relationship in the public sector. Mrs. Berisha speaks of the tendency of public institutions for the wrong implementation of acts in power, non-communication within different levels of decision-making in public institutions, as well as the existence of unclear provisions that as factors could lead to violation of basic labour rights”.

This situation requires an urgent and powerful response, not only in terms of policy review and implementation, but also in promoting the culture of accountability and transparency within public institutions in the country. The plight of workers in Kosovo, fighting against an entrenched system that often ignores or even suppresss their rights, requires immediate and decisive action”.

KDI-ALAC called on all employees to report cases when they were subjected to the unjust practices of institutions or were victims of any form of labour rights violations.