Enable representativeness for the Union of Doctors and Dentists of the FBiH

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Representatives of the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zlatko Ercegović and Irfan Čengić, held a meeting at the Trade Union House with representatives of the Union of Doctors of Medicine and Dentists of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the topic of amendments to the law that will enable the representativeness of this union. The union representatives presented their reasons for the strike, as well as demands for amendments to legal solutions that will enable the representativeness of this union.

A concrete result of today's meeting is the submission to the parliamentary procedure of the Law on Amendments to the Labor Law of the FBiH, which will enable the representativeness of professional unions.

The Government of the FBiH also plans an identical solution through the Law on Representativeness; however, that law has been in the form of a working document for two years and it is not expected to be adopted this year. Precisely for this reason, until the adoption of that law, amendments to the Labor Law should be adopted. The Labor Law of the FBiH does not recognize the term “professional union” as a form of union organization.
The consequence of this attitude and interpretation is the non-recognition of the Union of Doctors of Medicine and Dentistry as a social partner in the adoption of the collective agreement, but also in the adoption of other legal regulations related to the healthcare system, which represents yet another absurdity.

In this way, the union would be enabled to become an equal social partner in the adoption of the collective agreement, as well as all other legal acts pertaining to the healthcare sector. By adopting these amendments under an expedited procedure, the Government of the FBiH would show that it has “an ear” for this major problem.