The Education Trade Union (SPCG) is organizing a protest today in front of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, regarding the new salary calculation that will reduce the salaries of some education workers.
The President of the Serbian Confederation of Education, Radomir Božović, announced that the protest is being organized to defend the rights from the Sectoral Collective Agreement (GKU) for the field of education.
"Which threaten to collapse due to the intention of the Government of Montenegro to reduce the salaries of a significant number of employees in education through a new salary calculation, which is not in accordance with Article 22 of the General Code of Civil Service," said Božović.
As he said, during the protest, the SPCG will appeal to Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Minister of Finance Novica Vuković, and Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Anđela Jakšić Stojanović that only through social dialogue and compromise can a solution acceptable to all be found.
The Ministry of Finance previously said that the goal of centralized salary calculation is not to reduce salaries for education employees, but to consistently comply with the law and introduce the principle of equal pay for equal work.
The Education Union's protest was supported by the Executive Board of the Union of Free Trade Unions, the trade union organization of the Montenegrin National Theatre, and the Trade Union of Trade Workers.
Every step towards preserving the Sectoral Collective Agreement (GKU) for the field of education and the rights arising from that act is a step towards strengthening the education sector and society as a whole, said the Union of Free Trade Unions (USSCG) and called on the Government to engage in dialogue.
The statement states that, since its founding until today, USSCG and its members have been recognized as uncompromising fighters for labor and trade union rights.
"Where social dialogue is lacking, members of the USSCG have never hesitated to launch all other legitimate forms of trade union and civil struggle in order to protect rights from and based on work," the statement says.
The USSCG said that an obvious example of authentic union activity is the activities of the SPCG, as the largest branch union in Montenegro and one of the founders of the USSCG.
"The threat that the rights guaranteed by the GKU will be targeted again by one of the signatories of that act, namely the Government of Montenegro, deeply concerns us and creates a sense of legal insecurity not only among employees in education, but also in all other sectors," the USSCG stated.
They emphasized that collective agreements, as expressions of the highest degree of compromise between the contracting parties, bind their signatories and create a framework that ensures dignified working conditions and fairness of the system.
As stated by the USSCG, unilateral violation of the provisions of the collective agreement is an attack on the rule of law, the right to collective bargaining and union association and action.
"United in the intention to defend labor rights, trade union rights and the special right to collective bargaining, we stand firmly with the SPCG and all employees in education, defending the rights guaranteed by the GKU and legal certainty," the USSCG said.
They emphasized that they want to believe that the appeals of the SPCG will bear fruit and that the current challenges will be overcome.
The USSCG called on the Government to engage in dialogue and seek constructive solutions that will ensure respect for acquired rights and justice.
"Every step towards preserving the GKU for the field of education and the rights arising from it is a step towards strengthening the education sector, but also society as a whole," the statement emphasizes.
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