The Center for Civic Cooperation held a meeting of the Coalition for Better Protection of Workers’ Rights in Livno on the following topics: “Communication between trade unions and employers in the public sector – collective bargaining and silencing trade union work”; “The situation in trade unions at the local and other levels (passivity and loss of membership, conflicts within trade unions)” and “Solidarity and unity in trade unions Una-Sana Canton, Canton 10, West Herzegovina Canton and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (lack of trade union unity and solidarity)”.
Within the Coalition for Better Protection of Workers’ Rights, CGS, in cooperation with union leaders, commissioners and members, continuously works on strengthening, educating and improving the position of trade unions and improving the status of the trade union movement in Una-Sana Canton, Canton 10, West Herzegovina Canton and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton referred to the problems they encounter in trade union struggle and negotiation regardless of geographical location.
The rights of workers and the daily struggle of trade unions to achieve better rights are a common guideline for all, but the position of workers and trade unions is a topic that concerns every person who is employed, regardless of whether he_she is employed in the public or private sector and whether he_she is a union member or not.
All workers are in the same position in relation to the law and the social partners in collective bargaining, but only the union is the legal mechanism for participating in decision-making processes that will ultimately have an impact on each worker.
Existing unions must take responsibility and encourage the establishment of unions where this has not already been done, especially in the private sector, whose employees are most exposed to violations of workers’ rights.
Trade unions must also be united and take a clear and decisive stance towards members and non-members, and in particular towards employers, the public and governing structures, in order to establish trade union unity and solidarity and mutual understanding in order to solve common problems, with the same goal, and that is better labor rights.
Since 2012, the Center for Civic Cooperation has been implementing a free legal aid project through which more than 4,500 legal advices has been provided to workers and trade unions who have problems with exercising their employment rights. Free legal aid and counseling are available every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 to 14:00 (premises of the Center for Civic Cooperation in Livno – Livnoputovi building), as well as by e-mail: bpp.cgs@gmail.com or at phone 034/202-770.
The meeting of the Coalition for Better Protection of Workers’ Rights was held with the support of the International Olof Palme Center.
