STRIKE THREATENED State agency police officers surprised by Budget proposal

(Patria) - The Union of Police Body Employees is surprised by the proposed Budget for institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, given that employees in police agencies have not had the 4% returned to the base amount for salary calculation, which was taken in 2012, and which was agreed upon at a meeting between the Union's delegation and representatives of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of 2019.

"The Union of Police Body Employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina is most surprised by your negligence towards employees in police agencies, given that through the mentioned proposal, planned funds are being taken from us to be allocated to entities and cantons whose salaries have significantly increased in recent years and further increases are announced.

In addition to the above, we are aware that some lower levels of government have also provided one-time financial assistance to their police officers, and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has allocated all collected humanitarian aid during the pandemic in the form of protective equipment and financial resources back to the entities, leaving employees in police agencies to fend for themselves and fight the pandemic.

We note that the salary of an employee in police agencies is 665 KM, the salary of a police officer is 997 KM, and the salary of a civil servant with a higher education degree is 995 KM, and that it has not changed since 2012 when it was reduced, and that employees in police agencies have been brought to the brink of existence by your decisions.

In this regard, we ask you to show some care towards employees in state-level police agencies and to stop undermining them through neglect, and to restore the base amount for salary calculation to 498 KM in the Budget proposal, in order to regain our trust and show that someone is thinking about us and our families, not just about taking from state institutions and giving to lower levels," the letter, which Patria had access to, states.

Furthermore, given that the Council of Ministers is obliged by the Law on Salaries to adopt the Decision on the base amount for 2021 by June 30, the Union of Trade Unions demands that it be urgently adopted in the amount of 535 KM, which is the amount from 2009. If you ignore our demands, we emphasize that employees in police agencies will go on a general strike, given that everything indicates that the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has continued the practice of making such important decisions concerning the material and legal status of employees without consulting the Union, violating the provisions of the Law and international declarations.

"Finally, in order not to be forced to strike, we once again call on all ministers in the Council of Ministers to reconsider their decision when adopting the Budget proposal and to show at least some responsibility towards employees in police agencies," it is added.