The Trade Union of Administration and Judiciary of Montenegro announced yesterday that employees in the court and prosecutorial administration will organize a work stoppage on their own initiative if the employer does not increase their salaries by 30 percent by October 13, 2025. This was stated in a statement they submitted to the media yesterday.
"Considering that for almost a year now, the employer has not responded to the initiatives of the Professional Committee for the Judiciary of the Trade Union of Administration and Judiciary of Montenegro, which represents about two-thirds of employees in the Montenegrin judiciary, i.e. employees in the court and prosecutorial administration, through which an increase in wages in the form of a 30% salary supplement was requested, as an interim solution... we inform you that employees in the court and prosecutorial organization will organize a work stoppage on their own initiative," the Union said in a statement.
As specified, the work stoppage will be organized from October 13th, from 11 am to 12 pm, "in all cases except detention cases, cases involving minors and cases of an urgent nature in which irreparable damage could occur."
The document adds that, if the demands are not met even after that, the employee will "radicalize the work stoppage", of which the employer and the public will be notified in a timely manner.
"This decision by the employees is a consequence of a long-term and worryingly ignorant attitude on the part of the competent institutions, which have for a long time shown a complete lack of attention and understanding for the extremely difficult financial position of employees in judicial institutions," the Union announced.
The Professional Committee of the Judiciary emphasizes that employees "are not seeking privileges, but fair and dignified compensation for the responsible work they do in the service of citizens and justice." They add that they remain open to social dialogue and "express their readiness to urgently establish constructive communication with relevant employer representatives."
As stated in the statement, the decision was supported and signed by the trade union organizations of the state prosecutor's offices of Montenegro, the High Court in Bijelo Polje and the High Court in Podgorica, as well as the trade union organizations of the basic courts in Podgorica, Bijelo Polje, Danilovgrad, Žabljak, Berane, Kolašin, Plav and Bar, as well as the Constitutional Court of Montenegro and the Minor Offences Courts of Montenegro.
The strike began on Monday in the Basic Court of Podgorica, the Appellate Court of Podgorica, the Higher Court of Podgorica, the Commercial Court of Podgorica, the Basic Court of Cetinje, the Basic Court of Ulcinj, the Basic Court of Herceg Novi and the Basic Court of Kotor, based on the decision of the Judicial Union made on September 19 at the meeting of the board of that union.
Yesterday, the president of the trade union organization of the court was at the Podgorica Higher Court. Bjanka Vujović said that the strike in that institution began on October 6, 2025, between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.
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She pointed out that the employees decided to take this step "to point out the extremely difficult position they are in and the urgent need to improve their material conditions."
Vujović pointed out that employees "perform extremely complex and responsible tasks every day, which are of key importance for the functioning of the judicial system and the rule of law, but that their salaries do not reflect either the scope of work or the level of responsibility they bear."
"For years, we have been pointing out the problem of low wages and the lack of a systemic solution, but there have been no concrete steps, and everything remains on promises that are not fulfilled. Employees are demanding a 30 percent salary increase and the conclusion of a Branch Collective Agreement for the judiciary," said Vujović, emphasizing that they have the support and understanding of the judges of the Higher Court in Podgorica.
As she said, the goal of the employees "is not confrontation, but dialogue and finding solutions in the interests of employees, institutions and citizens."
"We call on the competent authorities to begin a constructive dialogue with employee representatives as soon as possible, in order to find a solution that will ensure the stability and efficiency of the judicial system," said Vujović.
And the judge supported the requests
A court reporter earns 600 euros, an advisor who makes the most difficult decisions in court earns around 800 euros, I haven't seen the media pay enough attention to that. We can't talk about an independent judiciary while it's like that. You have enough strength to help these people.
This was stated by Judge Ilija Radulović in the courtroom of the Basic Court in Podgorica yesterday, addressing journalists, after the time approached when employees in the judiciary would stop work for an hour, as a warning strike due to the difficult position of employees in the category of advisors and independent clerks.
Due to a work stoppage, he adjourned the trial of police officers Petar Lazović and Jugoslav Raičević, accused of torturing two "Skalja" men, at 11 am.
After the judge said he supported the strikers' demands, one of the defendants' defense attorneys, attorney Borivoje Borović, joined in.
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