Unions seek meeting with Kos on social dialogue

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and two representative Montenegrin trade union centres have requested a meeting with the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, to discuss how the European Union can support the renewal of authentic social dialogue in Montenegro.

The EKS, the Union of Free Trade Unions (USSCG) and the Confederation of Trade Unions (SSCG) stated in a letter addressed to Kos and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, that they express deep concern about the alarming collapse of social dialogue and the systematic undermining of fundamental workers' rights in Montenegro.

"As the country prepares to host the upcoming EU-Western Balkans Summit, we believe that progress towards the closure of Chapter 19 - Social Policy and Employment, is seriously jeopardized by the recent actions of the Government of Montenegro. In addressing these problems, we refer to the key issues that were explained in detail in our previous letters from January. Currently, social dialogue in Montenegro is in a deep crisis," the letter states.

The government has reportedly marginalized unions by allowing the General Collective Agreement to expire, leaving over 100 workers without basic labor protections. This situation is deeply concerning, as it directly ignores the fundamental principles of social dialogue and runs counter to European goals that seek to strengthen coverage through collective bargaining and preserve democratic representation in the workplace.

"Furthermore, recent legislative processes have been implemented without the necessary, transparent consultations with social partners, which represents a departure from international labor standards and benchmarks that are a condition for EU integration," the letter added.

The Montenegrin trade union movement, they assessed, remains deeply and unequivocally committed to supporting the country's European integration process. However, for this integration to be truly successful, it must serve as an opportunity to raise the living and working standards of ordinary citizens.

A meaningful path to EU membership, they believe, requires that alignment with European standards be accompanied by a strong implementation process, ensuring that social dialogue is respected and implemented not only declaratively, but as a dynamic and continuous practice.

"In order to constructively draw the attention of the European leadership to this critical situation in the country, union members intend to organize a peaceful and legitimate public gathering on the day of the Summit. This initiative stems from the desire to ensure that Montenegro enters the European community fully prepared to respect its fundamental social values," the statement said.

To this end, they called on the European institutions to emphasize that the successful closure of Chapter 19 must remain intrinsically linked to real progress in social dialogue and the protection of core European labor standards.