Negotiations between the management of the Post Office and the company's two unions on salary increases begin today. The single trade union is asking for a 30 percent salary increase for employees who do not belong to the company's management, while the New Trade Union Organization proposes a 20 percent salary increase, but for all employees, including the company's management.
The negotiations took place after a warning strike was organized by the United Trade Union last week, and a general strike was announced for October 2.
President of the New Trade Union Organization Milan Gvozdenović, which until recently was the only representative trade union organization in the Post Office, he told "Vijesti" yesterday that their executive board made a decision two days ago to join the negotiations, and that their request was a 20 percent increase in wages for everyone.
"We are in May of this year with the then director Dragan Tufegdžić agreed on changes in the coefficients by which the salaries of some of the employed postmen, counter workers, cashiers... were increased by about ten percent, and that we will discuss the next increase in October, when the nine-month financial report is completed. It was agreed that the entire realized profit of the company should be directed to increasing wages. When the new director came in June Josip Đurašković he said that what his predecessor promised will be fulfilled", said Gvozdenović.
He said that today he will hear what the management proposes, but that he will not accept a salary increase that would be lower than 20 percent.
When asked whether their union will participate in the announced general strike, if they do not receive the requested salary increase, Gvozdenović said that they have left it to their members to decide for themselves whether they will participate in it.
The United Trade Union previously announced that the salaries of postmen and counter workers are now around 550 euros, that they have not had a significant salary increase, excluding the "Europe Now" program, since 2010, and that inflation has devalued their incomes in the last two years.
President of the strike committee of the Unified Postal Union Jugoslav Marković, told "Vijesti" last week that the main topic of negotiations will be the demand for a 30 percent salary increase, and that he will also mention other problems they have, such as the condition of uniforms and means of work, transportation, working on Saturdays and other problems.
"They say that the Post Office may not have the money to increase wages, so at the negotiations we will give examples of what money is being spent on and how it can be saved," said Marković.
The management of the Post Office said that after they receive the nine-month financial report (January-September), they will know if there are opportunities to increase earnings without going into losses. They also stated that according to the Law on Salaries in the Public Sector, a state-owned company operating at a loss must reduce its salary fund by ten percent.
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