The issue of abolishing the non-working Sunday has been brought up again ahead of the tourist season. According to the Association of Small Food Stores of Montenegro, this move would help them survive during the summer season and remain operational throughout the year. The Employers’ Union also supports working on Sundays.
As the summer tourist season approaches, old issues have resurfaced. The Association of Small Stores is pushing for permission to work on Sundays, especially during the peak season. They are determined to continue the fight and hope to be allowed to operate for four months during the season to maintain their businesses, explained Željko Ćetković, president of the Association.
“We are asking for June, July, August, and September. Small stores, compared to large chains, barely survive; this would mean survival for us, and for citizens, it would offer cheaper shopping than at gas stations,” said Ćetković.
Ćetković also mentioned that it would be possible to control any potential violations of workers’ rights.
“Five percent is 1,700 workers employed by small food stores, and this is easy to control and make agreements. They must work in summer to receive full and regular salaries in winter, which are not small, and workers have become invaluable,” he emphasized.
The Employers’ Union also supports Sunday work, as long as legal regulations are followed.
“We propose paying an increased daily rate for those working, limiting it to just one shift. There are a few more conditions, and we believe we’ve found a solution that takes into account everyone’s interests, but we haven’t reached a favorable conclusion yet. Whether this will happen this year, we will continue to do what we believe is right and supports the Montenegrin economy,” said Filip Lazović from the Employers’ Union.
Vice-President of the Assembly, Zdenka Popović, believes that the best compromise should be found.
“I support the non-working Sunday as a day for rest, where families gather. However, as an economist and someone who encourages the economy and all our tourism businesses to make the most profit during the season, I believe unions and employers should sit down and find a measure of compromise,” said Popović.
It’s worth recalling that the non-working Sunday was introduced in 2019, which freed around 37,000 workers in the retail sector on the last day of the week.
