Minister Hasičević claims new workers are being hired in the trade sector, Tax Administration of FBiH records a decrease in employees

(Patria) - Federal Minister of Trade Amir Hasičević (Our Party) stated at the Congress of the Trade and Services Workers' Union of BiH that the introduction of a non-working Sunday and non-working holidays is one of the greatest achievements of the past period, emphasizing that this right is not the result of chance, but of the persistent and consistent struggle of workers, unions, and the Federal Ministry of Trade.

“We fought for a non-working Sunday together – the Union, the Ministry, employers, and consumers. A non-working Sunday is not a privilege, it is a right! We achieved this together, and we will defend it together. And we will not stop here; we will continue the fight for workers' rights, for better working conditions and higher wages, and no one will stop us in this,” stated Minister Hasičević.

In his address, the minister rejected claims that the ban on working on Sundays had a negative impact on the trade sector, emphasizing that analyses show the opposite – trade in the Federation is recording growth and stability.

“They said that thousands of workers would lose their jobs, that the budget would weaken, and that turnover would shift to another entity, but that did not happen. On the contrary, trade turnover in the first eight months is higher by almost 10 billion KM, traders are hiring new workers, and we are officially refuting critics with data every day. Trade does not collapse when a worker rests, but when a worker 'burns out' at work,” Hasičević pointed out.

However, such claims by Hasičević are refuted by official data from the Tax Administration of FBiH for the month of September. The latest statement on the number of employed individuals states:

"Activities in which a decrease in the number of employed persons occurred include: food and beverage service activities, retail trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles, accommodation activities, broadcasting activities, wood and cork product manufacturing, except for furniture, and other activities," it was stated.

Federal MP Admir Čavalić published official statistics from the FBiH Ministry of Finance in August of this year, which show that the number of employed persons in trade in November 2024 was 62,449, while in March of this year, this figure decreased to 60,513, representing a loss of nearly 2,000 jobs since the introduction of the non-working Sunday.

Hasičević added that the Federal Ministry of Trade, together with the Union, will continue to work on strengthening workers' rights, fair wages, secure contracts, and better working conditions, stating that the state must be a partner to the worker, not a silent observer.

Union President Mersiha Beširović reminded of the long-standing efforts of trade unionists to fight for the right to have a day off on Sundays and holidays, like most other sectors. She also recalled that after 20 years of struggle and attempts, they have only now gained the opportunity to exercise this right. She thanked everyone who contributed to making the voice of trade workers heard clearly today.

“Now we have confirmation that our struggle was not in vain and that there is hope for a better and fairer society when the right people, people with knowledge and understanding, are in the right positions,” Beširović stated.