Yasar: The 60-euro increase does not meet KEK workers' demands, government exceeded us at 13th salary

In an interview for Online Economics, Jashari said the union has called for greater wage hikes, the 13th salary, as well as compensation for job riskability.

We've been following demands for a raise since the beginning of this year for the 13th salary. But in early February we have reached an agreement on a 300-euro bonus temporarily, until conditions for salary hikes are created. We recently had negotiations with the management and the board, with demands for the 13th salary, salary hikes and riskiness and coal delivery. To give the coal has been approved by the board, even salary hikes have been approved in a total of 60 euros. This is not enough for corporate workers to do the job, it's not enough, it doesn't meet our minimum demands, but it's still a reflection of the management, it's a board reflection that will continue on performance and pay hikes, but also any additional bonus”, he said.

Jashari said the process of assessing risk in workplaces has been adopted, but stressed that the union had demanded a minimum increase of 200 euros for each worker.

I forgot to mention that this was approved, that an economic operator has won, is becoming a risk assessment, risk for any job country, and that we hope it will be done in the most optimum term possible. But we've then demanded minimum 200 euros for each position in the workplace pay raise. It's up to 60 euros, it's not satisfactory. We will continue with union activities, continue communications with the management and the board, so that we can find an even more pleasant solution for corporate workers”, he said.

According to him, there is currently dialogue between union and management, but there is no exemption if the will is lacking to improve the workers' conditions.

“actually management and we haven't cut the dialogue. Both sides are for dialogue, but the moment we notice there will be no dialogue and there will be no will to improve the social welfare of the workers, then union actions are certainly inevitable. Yes, the beginning will always be protests, I pray you don't get to the strike. But once again, there's a will, there's a little bit of approach to union management, so I'm believing we're going to arrive with dialogue to resolve these issues”, he said.

Speaking of the 13th salary, Jashari said the union has made three demands at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, but has received no answers.

“For our 13th salary we've made three consecutive requests in the Ministry of Economy and Finance and has never returned us. We're at Ombudsperson's dock, where they sent a letter that the thing that should be taken to the Ministry of Social Peace, something that doesn't stand because now, when the election campaign was, they didn't tell the Energy Corporation that you're not a public organization, they were able to get KEK employees to even apply to the gross salary of up to 1,000 euros to get 100 euros. Which means that with the 13th salary, the government has bypassed the workers of the Kosovo Energy Corporation, which we have strongly rejected”, he said.

The union chairman said that despite old challenges and equipment, KEK workers are continuing to provide electricity supplies to the country.

The Kosovo Energy Corporation is always heavy. There are challenges, there are risks, the very nature of the work is extremely, like in mines like in two thermoelectrics, because we work on old equipment. But even with these equipment workers are doing their best, they are working over and over again, and they are doing everything in Kosovo's power to have”, he said.