Emergency Session of the FBiH Government: Green Light for Branch Collective Agreements for Telecom Workers

(Patria) - The Federal Government, at today's emergency, telephonically held session, adopted the information from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications regarding negotiations for the conclusion of a collective agreement for the telecommunications sector in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with a proposal to amend the Conclusion of the Government of the Federation of BiH from 29.7.2020.

In this conclusion, point 2 is amended to read that "The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina proposes that the managements of public enterprises BH Telecom d.d. Sarajevo and JP Hrvatske telekomunikacije d.d. Mostar be given the opportunity to negotiate and conclude so-called collective agreements at the employer level with the unions operating within their companies, each for themselves, in accordance with the Labor Law, for a period of up to 12 months."

The collective agreement for the telecommunications sector in the Federation of BiH ceased to apply on 9.10.2020.

The telecom unions in state-owned, or majority-owned by the Federation of BiH, BH Telecom and HT Mostar had previously announced strikes by their members due to the non-signing of the branch collective agreement.

More than 4,500 workers are employed in the two telecom companies.