Trade Union Protest Ride: Both Grave and Slave, What Else Do You Have Planned?

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - With a protest ride and symbolic gathering in Veliki park in Sarajevo, supported by a large number of citizens, today the Trade Union of Workers in Trade and Services of BiH (STBIH) on International Workers' Day attempted to draw attention to the extremely poor position of workers employed in this sector.

With the May Day protest march under the slogan "Both Grave and Slave! What Else Do You Have Planned?", STBIH reminded of the basic priorities in its work, which are that workers employed in trade finally get an increase in the minimum wage, that they have the right to unionize, and that they have the right to a day off for state holidays.

The march specifically drew attention to workers from the trade and services sector who are still working today. Participants of the march sent symbolic messages to employers and authorities with banners: "We have worked enough for you! It's time we started living off our wages!", "What day is it today? Another workday for us!", "Traders are also dying from coronavirus! What about our vaccines?"...

The president of STBIH, Mersiha Beširović, stated that on May 1st, they are asking everyone who can, if they want to, to change the reality in which workers in this sector work and live, do traders have a chance to ever work as humans again, not as slaves?

"Our struggle lasts 365 days. Today, we are just reminding you of it. On this day, we want to express our support to all our colleagues from other sectors whose fight for workers' rights is ongoing, to our miners who protested this morning, to our healthcare workers who are fighting for collective agreements... Our thoughts are with all those workers who have fallen ill with coronavirus or have lost their loved ones. These are difficult times, but the fight for workers' rights cannot wait, and there is no better time than this moment," said Beširović.

The president of STBIH also stated that there are bad and good employers.

"Unfortunately, you won't hear from our colleague who would tell you all the best about her employer and who would tell you how difficult it is even when you have a decent employer, because you have a state that has almost taken your soul. Even then, she can later have problems because of which she doesn't dare to stand here in front of you and give a speech," emphasized Beširović.

She stressed that the place where they gathered is special.

"In front of us is a building that was built on the site of 'Sarajka', which was a place where the dignity of workers in trade disappeared. Behind us is a place that is a symbol of murdered youth, a symbol of the future that was stolen from us. This specific place where we ended our protest ride today is a symbol of the state in which all those who earn their living in trade find themselves. We are at a crossroads where behind them is work worthy of a human being, and in front of them, nothing," stated Beširović. The activist and engaged journalist Rubina Čengić spoke about how important public support and the support of every individual are to workers in trade. She said that she supported today's rally out of deep human solidarity.

"I want to support 150,000 people working in trade and services, as well as their demands to the authorities. It is important that we restore faith in the trade union movement, which is the only way for workers to protect their labor and human rights. Only together can we preserve our dignity," said Čengić.

STBIH also sent a letter on Friday to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, requesting that amendments to the Law on Internal Trade be included on the agenda, as well as a request for an urgent session on the position of employees in the real sector, with a focus on the minimum wage. A letter was also sent to the Employers' Association of FBiH with a request to continue negotiations on collective agreements.