Keković: The Government must change course; Božović: We demand a decent standard of living; Rmandić to the Prime Minister: Montenegrins will never accept becoming the UAE’s eighth emirate

The wages we receive are so low that they do not even amount to a quarter of the consumer basket. The Government must change its course – said Secretary General of the Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro (USSCG), Srđa Keković, at a protest held in front of the Government building.

The gathering, as previously announced, was organized with the aim of intensifying the struggle on behalf of more than 100,000 workers who have lost basic rights guaranteed under the General Collective Agreement.

Keković noted that the union was able to hold this protest, whereas its gathering scheduled for 5 June had been banned.

- It is shameful that even after 30 years, and even after 2020, we still do not have the capacity to allow citizens to express what they think about current policies. To those who are slandering and attempting to distance the working class from the Union of Free Trade Unions - we demanded resignations when Milo was in power, and we demanded them from others as well. Do not mislead people. We regret that we have to organize protests - Keković said.

He added that on 1 May 2024, the Union launched two campaigns.

- At that time, we requested a meeting with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, and we never received one. We also said that we would not accept a calculation coefficient value of €90 - Keković recalled.

According to him, two sessions of the Social Council were scheduled last year at the Union’s insistence.

- We wanted to ask the Minister of Finance where our money was being spent, but each time the meeting was cancelled - Keković emphasized.

Inflation, he argued, has reduced the effects of the Europe Now 1 and Europe Now 2 programmes to a minimum.

- Prime Minister, if you refuse to speak with us, we will come to the streets and speak here - Keković declared.

He noted that the Prime Minister had promised to present a model for wage increases that would be better than the one proposed by the unions.

- But there is no model, and there is no General Collective Agreement. Why have we not had a wage increase since 1 January? He cannot answer because he would be ashamed. He says there is no money in the budget – there is. We will not back down. We will win this battle as well. There are many of us - Keković stressed.

Workers from all sectors, he added, are asking whether the unions will secure wage increases and a new General Collective Agreement.

- We will. The Prime Minister is playing games with us. It is a blatant falsehood that we seek wage increases only for the public sector. He is using the same pattern as his predecessors - Keković said.

He urged government officials to abandon what he described as „worn-out politics“.

- Is travelling more important to you than the people - Keković asked Spajić.

He added that neighbouring countries have already caught up with Montenegro in terms of minimum and average public-sector wages.

- We will not stop, and our numbers will continue to grow. We will persevere in our struggle. We know the holiday season is approaching, but if we fought in August and September two years ago to save the Simo Milošević Institute and succeeded, then we will succeed in this fight as well - Keković concluded.

President of the Education Trade Union, Radomir Božović, said that the Government has been delaying negotiations for six months.

- For two months now we have had no General Collective Agreement, and for two months more than 100,000 employees have been left without protection and without rights. Labour Minister Naida Nišić is the only member of the Government who genuinely wants this issue resolved, but it appears she is not strong enough to convince Finance Minister Novica Vuković to respond to our demands - Božović said.

He pointed out that the average salary in the education sector in Sarajevo Canton is €1,200, while in Montenegro it is approximately €1,000.

- We want to join the European Union, yet the Prime Minister acts as if these issues do not concern him. We are fighting for everyone. We are fighting for the police officers providing security at this gathering. This protest is meant to encourage the Prime Minister to sign the General Collective Agreement next Monday. Prime Minister, I believe in you. But if that does not happen, we will not give up. Our demands are fair. Even if the Agreement were signed tonight, we could not stop there. We demand a dignified standard of living - Božović stated.

President of the Independent Police Trade Union, Igor Rmandić, expressed support on behalf of police officers, whom he described as „sufferers working to ensure peace and security for all citizens“.

- Sufferers because, in addition to a full workload, they often perform another 100 hours of overtime each month and barely see their families. One police officer does the work of three or four others. We work for an inhumane salary of €719. This country is losing police officers because people are retiring, leaving the service, or dying. Unless salaries are increased and working conditions and equipment improved, Montenegro will be left without a police force - Rmandić said.

According to him, the country is not sustained by the expensive cars of those in power or by government offices, but by the hands of working people.

- If workers disappear, Montenegro will disappear. I hope that is not anyone’s intention. We have no masters, nor do we want any masters. The Montenegrin worker must be the master of his own destiny. We do not accept that the Prime Minister or members of Parliament should be our masters - Rmandić emphasized.

He added that the true masters of Montenegro are pensioners, firefighters, police officers, farmers, teachers, and other working citizens.

- We will no longer remain silent. We want dignity. While they plan expensive trips and buy luxury cars, we think about how to buy basic necessities for our children. My message to the Prime Minister is this: Mr. Prime Minister, Montenegrins will never accept becoming the UAE’s eighth emirate. Montenegrins do not kiss chains - Rmandić declared.

Jovan Drašković of the Union of Free Trade Unions stated that the organization would not give up.

- We will be here again tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and every day until they sign the agreement, respect it, and understand that a worker is not a commodity. We are not fighting only for wages and coefficients; we are fighting for dignity, respect, and a Montenegro where work pays off and agreements are honoured - Drašković stressed.

The protesters also called on Prime Minister Spajić to come on 29 June and explain what alternative solution he believes is better than the proposal put forward by the Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro.