The Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro (USSCG) and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Montenegro (SSCG) have urged the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue and the Union of Employers of Montenegro (UPCG) to conclude a new General Collective Agreement. The unions are seeking a coefficient calculation value of 100 euros, up from 90 euros, as well as higher job-complexity coefficients.
The two confederations said representative trade union organisations and the employers’ association had previously reached a compromise on those increases. Employees in the public and private sectors were due to receive higher wages from 1 January this year, but the increases were not introduced while the Government of Montenegro promoted a different model that it said would benefit all employees.
According to the unions, the Government did not publish its model until 17 September and then accepted, among other measures, a rise in the coefficient calculation value to 100 euros for public- and private-sector employees. They said workers had been denied the increase for 10 months, with the adjustment based on real indicators, particularly inflation.
USSCG and SSCG also said UPCG was refusing to sign the agreement while waiting for a meeting with the prime minister about the Euro model. They said more than 100,000 employees had for almost six months depended on employers’ goodwill to secure rights arising from their work. In the confederations’ view, without the agreement employers are not obliged to provide employees with dignified working conditions.
The confederations said the new agreement would not threaten companies’ operations or sustainability, and that employees were again bearing the consequences of a lack of social dialogue. They linked the temporary closure of Chapter 19 with commitments to build mutual trust and improve social dialogue, and called for the agreement to be signed as soon as possible.
