Union Condemns Sarajevo Canton Budget Adoption: We Will Seek Our Rights

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Independent Union of Cantonal Civil Servants and Employees of Sarajevo strongly condemns yesterday's adoption of the Sarajevo Canton budget, which unilaterally, without agreement between the Government and the union, set the base salary for civil servants and employees at KM 290.

This continues the illegal practice of the KS Government towards workers' rights and shows that this Government is also unwilling to show good faith towards state service workers, the Union states.

- This is an increase of KM 18.90, which is shameful, and therefore our union announces that it will certainly protect its rights by all permissible means, through the courts and union forms of struggle such as strikes. During negotiations, despite all the deceptions this year, we showed understanding, and as the only representative union, we managed to unite the positions of the other two unions that have civil servants and employees in their membership and agree to a base of KM 300. We cannot and will not go below this base - the Union states.

They explain that such a procedure by the KS Government and Assembly does not solve any problems and, on the contrary, creates grounds for new lawsuits, which are sure to follow.

The Independent Union of Cantonal Civil Servants and Employees of Sarajevo will convene an urgent session of the expanded Management Board, at which it will decide on the date for initiating a general strike.

The Union notes that there is only one representative union of civil servants and employees in Sarajevo Canton, and that is the Independent Union of Cantonal Civil Servants and Employees of Sarajevo.

- I am very disappointed with this decision of the KS Government and Assembly. An increase of KM 18 is an insult to all civil servants and employees and should by no means be an argument that the Prime Minister and the KS Government will boast about.

We are not budget users, and through our work, we contribute significantly to filling that budget, but other sectors are constantly being merged with us, as has now been done with education. Thus, 2,500 civil servants and employees of KS will not receive their deserved increase this time either - said the President of the Union, Elvis Zornić.

He added that the Union will send an open letter to the Prime Minister and the KS Government today, informing them about future activities and protection measures they will initiate.

Deputies of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly adopted yesterday, after five hours of debate, with 21 votes in favor and nine against, the KS Budget for 2018 in the amount of KM 769,080,000.