Miners give ultimatum to FBiH Government and list demands for return to mines

(Patria) - The Independent Union of Mine Workers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted a document that will be sent to the Parliament and Government of the FBiH, containing conditions that must be met for miners to return to work.

The document "Demands of the Independent Union of Mine Workers of the Federation of BiH, the fulfillment of which leads to the cessation of workers' disobedience and the resumption of the production process in all coal mines within the concern of JP "Elektroprivreda BiH" d.d. Sarajevo" has been sent to the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH and the caucuses of deputies in this house, the Government of the Federation of BiH, and the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry of FBiH, reports klix.ba.

At the very beginning, they state that "the Union's Management Board, on its own behalf and on behalf of all Union members, calls on the Parliament of FBiH and the Government of FBiH to ensure conditions for the cessation of workers' disobedience and the start of production in the mines by December 1 at the latest, through the fulfillment of the demands listed below."

These are all the miners' demands:

    Dismissal of the General Director of JP "Elektroprivreda BiH" d.d. Sarajevo (hereinafter: Elektroprivreda)

    Dismiss the director of the coal mine "Kreka" in Tuzla due to catastrophic production results, devastated interpersonal relations, unilateral adoption of decisions significant for the living standard of workers, and issuing an order to file a criminal complaint against the president of the Union Organization of the same mine

    Elektroprivreda must, by May 31 of the following year, prepare a Plan and program for linking the length of service for all workers in the mines within the concern

    Elektroprivreda and the Union commit to applying the valid Collective Agreement on the rights and obligations of employers and workers in the mining sector in FBiH

    Elektroprivreda and the Union commit to harmonizing a unified Rulebook on Work and Rulebook on Work Performance for all mines within the concern by April 30 of the following year at the latest

    Elektroprivreda commits to abandoning the application of the existing Rulebook on Work and Rulebook on Work Performance until new ones are harmonized

    Elektroprivreda commits to fully fulfilling the obligations from the Agreement with the Union of May 19, 2021

    Elektroprivreda and the managements of seven coal mines in FBiH commit that, under certain circumstances, the application of the Work Suspension measure can be carried out in coal mines with the consent of the union and the Workers' Council under harmonized conditions regarding the material rights of workers

    Payment of daily allowances to workers in coal mines within the concern during the period of workers' disobedience and protests shall be made in accordance with the Collective Agreement and the Rulebook on Work

Demands adopted at the session of the Union's Management Board: Elektroprivreda commits to requesting from the Government of FBiH consent for changing the price of coal delivered from the mines to Elektroprivreda by December 3 at the latest.   Elektroprivreda commits, after receiving the consent of the Government of FBiH, to submit to the mines a proposal for a Coal Supply Agreement for 2022 at a price 20 percent higher than the price established by the Coal Supply Agreement for 2021.

    Elektroprivreda and the mines commit to securing the necessary funds for settling obligations with the aim of fulfilling obligations for the retirement of all employees who have acquired or will acquire conditions for retirement by the end of 2022

    Elektroprimedja and the coal mine "Gračanica" commit to continuing activities aimed at opening a replacement capacity for the "Dimnjače" open pit mine in the coal mine "Gračanica".

They state that if their demands are not accepted, a new date for the miners' protest in front of the Government of FBiH will be set, where they will come with their families and the support of the citizens of this entity.