Changes at "Bilješke s radionice s radnicima i predstavnicima sindikata iz Srbije"
Title (English)
- +Notes from a workshop with workers and trade union representatives from Serbia
Description (English)
- +Union struggles in Serbia face institutional and economic obstacles that directly threaten the idea of a Just Transition and effective freedom of association. Union representatives are exposed to direct repression. Examples of 48 criminal charges against one representative and the firing of union leaders show that freedom of association is merely nominal. In such position, the union lacks the power to lead, organize, and protect workers during a transition process, leaving them vulnerable.
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- +There is a systemic gap between legal obligations and implementation. Management claims "ignorance" regarding safety problems because supervisors fail to relay reports. This confirms that information and control are deliberately withheld from workers and unions.
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- +Problems with toxic fumes and the lack of filters show that environmental standards are ignored, and workers with benefited years of service bear the heaviest burden of risk, which is directly contrary to the principle of Just Transition.
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- +Abuse of Subsidies: Workers are on fixed-term contracts only for the duration of state subsidies. This confirms that foreign investors use the state for short-term profit optimization instead of long-term sustainable production.
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- +Non-Enforcement of Agreements: Employers apply the provisions of the Labor Law and Collective Agreement that suit them best. Furthermore, avoiding minimum wage increases by paying anniversary bonuses and cutting sick leave bonuses prove that collective agreements are not effectively enforceable, and employers do not adhere to the law.
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- +International Solidarity: The successful coordination with a trade union from Italy to make the buying company accountable proves that domestic forces are insufficient and that a global movement is needed to shift the power from brands to unions.
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- +Workers' desire to keep minimal bonuses instead of requesting systemic improvements emphasizes that a culture of fear and economic uncertainty shifts the focus from systemic ecological and planning demands to short-term survival.
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- +The systematic repression, the deliberate gap in communication regarding the occupational safety and health and environmental risks, and the power of global brands to circumvent collective agreements demonstrate that power has not yet shifted to workers. A Just Transition is impossible while fundamental workers’ rights, the right to organize, and the enforceability of contracts are routinely undermined by local management and international economic pressure.