Unions rejected the KS Government's offer: We demand compensation and a 10 to 20 percent salary increase

(Patria) - The coordination of eight unions representing 25,000 workers in Sarajevo Canton had negotiations with the Government of Sarajevo Canton today, where, at the request of the Coordination, they negotiated an increase in salaries in 2023, the payment of a one-time bonus for all workers in the amount of 1080 KM, and the recognition of the Coordination of Unions as a social partner. At the beginning of the negotiations, you informed us that the Government of Sarajevo Canton decided that through the budget of Sarajevo Canton, by increasing the base or the point, it cannot increase the salaries of all workers (around 25,000 workers). You emphasized that the Government's decision is not to increase the salaries of workers in healthcare and public utilities (around 9,000 workers) at these negotiations, but that the unions should negotiate within their respective sectors and increase the salaries of workers in healthcare and public utilities through those separate negotiations, and you added that the Government decided to increase the salaries of about 14,000 workers by increasing the point to 1.05 in the Law on the Execution of the KS Budget for 2023, which means a salary increase of 5 percent.

Regarding the payment of a one-time cash bonus, you stated that the Government of Sarajevo Canton has no intention of paying it. You also said that you would provide the Coordination with the minutes from the previous two meetings. The Coordination of eight unions has committed to refer to the decision of the Government of Sarajevo Canton during the day and inform the Government of Sarajevo Canton about it, which we are doing on this occasion. After today's negotiations, the Coordination of eight unions held a meeting where it decided the following:

1. The decision of the Government of Sarajevo Canton to increase the salary of about 14,000 workers by 5% is not accepted because it is a unilateral decision and not a proposal for further negotiations.
2. The decision of the Government of Sarajevo Canton not to pay a one-time cash bonus in the amount of 1080 KM to all workers in Sarajevo Canton is not accepted.
3. We stand by the demand for the payment of 1080 KM to all workers.
4. We demand that negotiations continue on increasing salaries for all workers by 10 to 20 percent.
5. We call on the Government of Sarajevo Canton to hold another meeting no later than Friday, December 23, 2022, in order for the negotiations to be concluded in the presence of all line ministers, according to the Coordination's statement.