KEK Union ultimatum for management and Board: You have until today

Kosovo's New Energy Corporation Union has protested last week, demanding an increase in workers' salaries.

Their next request has been to pay risk to those who work under difficult conditions and pay the weekend to changing workers.

We wanted to raise wages, and we want life”

“Management, respect the Labour Law, pay weekends for workers with shifts of”, were some of the scriptures on the banners that protesters held in their hands.

Annie why the latter have protested their demands have not been met, and the new KEK Union has decided to wait until today to meet their demands, which they have submitted at their October 24th protest.

KEK's new “Sindicate calls on Management and Board of Directors to reflect and meet our legitimate requirements within 08.11.2024. If our demands are not met within the set term, we will take further steps, according to the Union Statut, the Union Organising Law and the Greek Law for”, says the Union's announcement.

Chairman of the new KEK Union: If our demands are not met, we will continue with protests and strikes until they are met

The chairman of the new KEK Union, Nexhat Llumnica, has been declared regarding the current situation of workers at the Kosovo Energy Corporation.

He stressed that, after the recent protest, there has been no meeting with the management to discuss union requirements. Llumnica announced that the union decided to wait until today to create dialogue opportunities and to discuss the situation further.

So far we haven't had meetings except before the protest we had, after the protest we haven't had meetings

We have made the decision to wait until today in order to create dialogue further, after November 5th, to make decisions on the union statute and the law on strikes, the union organisation law with the aim of meeting our demands, Llumnica told FrontOline

He expressed his concern for the low wages of workers, stressing that an electric master's salary is only 676 euros, while in the private sector salaries total up to 1,200 euros. That, according to him, has contributed to the escape from the job.

The KEK employee's wage is the lowest in Kosovo based on the labour market, we're not talking about those who receive salaries from us, so from our contribution and the government of the Republic of Kosovo, but we're talking about the job market that an electric master has 676 euros in salary and private can bring about 11,200 euros of wages so people at us are starting to leave the workplace, Llum said.

Llumnica also highlighted the high risk KEK workers face, citing that each year, about 30 workers lose their lives due to dangerous working conditions. He underlined that risklessness is not being paid properly, while citing KEK Board promises of assessing the risk of never being realised.

Another important issue is the payment of weekends for exchange workers, which has been won in courts, but KEK still does not implement. Llumnica saw this as a violation of the law and misuse of official duty.

He cited that the union is willing to act in line with the union statute and the law on strikes. After November 8th, the union will decide on future steps, including the possibility of protests or strikes if workers' demands are not met.

After today we will make decisions depending on the access of workers and union representatives possible protest or strike, if our demands are met, but if not, we will continue with protests and strikes until their fulfillment, Llumnica concluded.