Trade Union of Retail Workers to Protest on May 18: We Won't Give Up Our Sunday Off!

(Patria) - The STBiH Trade Union of Retail Workers, responding to an initiative by retail workers and organized through STBiH social media, is organizing a protest gathering on Sunday, May 18, starting at 12 PM. The protest will be held in the park in front of the Trade Union Hall building in Skenderija.

This protest is a response by retail workers to the announcements about amending Article 18 of the Law on Internal Trade of FBiH and introducing a certain number of working Sundays.

"Embittered by the lack of understanding, disturbed by the constant pressure over the past five months since the Law was passed, and concerned that they will lose their days off on Sundays and holidays, workers organized within STBiH, as well as those who are not, have sought an opportunity to express their disagreement with the announced changes and to voice their protest and announce their future actions in this regard.

Retail workers have already been off for 25 Sundays. They have been off for holidays for the first time in the last 30 years and do not want to lose this right. They also want to state that there is no compensation that would be adequate for them to make up for working Sundays again. On Sunday, they will all together send a message to the Government of FBiH, deputies in the FBiH Parliament, as well as analysts and capital owners, especially shopping mall owners across FBiH: 'We won't give up Sunday!'

We invite all interested workers, their family members, citizens who are in solidarity with retail workers, and the media to support the workers by their presence in highlighting their views and desires, which have been constantly neglected in the public discourse on the prohibition of working on Sundays and holidays in recent months," the Union announced.