UPFBiH calls for FBiH Parliament to react to alarming labor market situation

(Patria) - The Employers' Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is once again warning the executive and legislative authorities at all levels in BiH, especially in FBiH, about the alarming situation on the labor market, the increasingly strong trend of skilled workers and entire families leaving BiH, and complex and lengthy administrative procedures related to importing the needed workforce.

“Every day, we receive information from companies, members of the Association, about the departure of skilled workers, which ultimately leads to the slowing down or complete collapse of work processes. We have been warning about the real problem we have with the labor market for years, but no one in power, at any level, is doing anything to stop the departure of workers or simplify procedures when it comes to importing labor. Unfortunately, the only concrete thing the authorities have done for employees is to increase salaries – for themselves and for public service employees. They will not, they do not want to, and they do not understand that if the trend of skilled labor leaving BiH continues, there will be no one left to earn those increased salaries for them,” emphasize the UPFBiH.

They remind that the UPFBiH, together with trade unions from the real sector, initiated the urgent adoption of amendments to the Law on Contributions of FBiH and the Law on Income Tax of FBiH at the end of last year, which would increase the salaries of employees in the real sector by up to 400 KM, and reduced contributions to Pension and Disability Insurance (PIO/MIO) and health insurance would be paid on the increased amount. The complete lack of understanding for the citizens' problems was shown by the deputies and delegates in the FBiH Parliament, who have not put these proposals on the agenda for three full months, thereby directly contributing to the departure of the workforce from BiH. Data on work permits issued to BiH citizens abroad indicate that the emigration process has continued and accelerated. No one except employers is currently discussing this, nor are activities being undertaken in this regard.

Nothing has yet been done to enable the temporary and occasional employment of students, which is a common practice in the region and beyond.

“Due to all of the above, and until a functional executive government is established in FBiH, the UPFBiH demands that an urgent thematic session of both houses of the FBiH Parliament be held on the issue of labor force departure from BiH, as well as the problems with importing the needed workforce from abroad. As in the case of preparing concrete regulations and proposed solutions, employers are ready to offer materials for this urgent session, explain them, and propose concrete solutions for the mentioned problems, if the authorities do not want to,” emphasize the UPFBiH.