NATIONAL WORKSHOPS IN MONTENEGRO AND MACEDONIA

The events in the first half of the project (4 workshops) were prepared for social partner and company representatives in order to gain new knowledge about setting the social dialogue on the national and branch level as well as to raise awareness and understanding about European social dialogue.

NATIONAL WORKSHOP (agriculture and food-processing), Podgorica, Montenegro, 13 March 2012:

In mid-March 2012, the Association of Employers of Slovenia (ZDS) co-organized a workshop on social dialogue in the agriculture sector and food industry in Montenegro together with the Montenegrin Employers Federation (ORM). The conference was held in Podgorica as part of the project SSD-SMM.

The main topics covered at this workshop were:

Social dialogue in agriculture and food-processing in Montenegro – from employers’ view and from trade unions view;
Social dialogue in Montenegro;
Social dialogue in Slovenia and the role of ZDS as employers’ representative;
Current economic situation in agriculture and food-processing in Montenegro

In her introduction, ORM Secretary General Suzana Radulovič pointed out some current events influencing social dialogue in Montenegro, including a special meeting of the Economic and Social Council in response to the recommendations of raising sales tax and lowering state pensions as part of the measures suggested to the Montenegrin government by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

SSD-SMM project manager, Ms. Tatjana Pajnkihar, discussed the Slovenian model of social dialogue and its evolvement from the times Slovenia gained independence. She emphasized the role of the Association of Employers of Slovenia in this process and touched on the current situation in adopting a new social agreement in Slovenia.

A representative of the Montenegrin Ministry of Agriculture outlined some of the issues facing particularly the northern, predominantly agrarian part of the country.

Employer and trade union representatives shared their experiences with the ZDS representative. They were especially interested in the collective bargaining process under the Collective Agreements Act and the representation of trade unions and employers in Slovenia. Montenegro has two representative trade unions at the national level, compared to Slovenia's 45 according to the data provided by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.

The main outcome of this workshop was conclusion that all actors in this area should improve their work and that social dialogue in these sectors was not on a very high level. Also, the discussion opened up a lot of issues about relation among the Ministry of Agriculture, the employers and trade union. The participants also pointed out some problems in companies which don’t have a trade union. All actors also agreed that financial situation in this sector is very bad and that Ministry should improve subsidies for agriculture.

At the event it became evident that this project means a significant “break”; it was a beginning of the cooperation between all relevant actors in these sectors. All participants evaluated this project and this event as a very important and very useful tool for further development of social dialogue in this sector in Montenegro.

NATIONAL WORKSHOP (retail), Skopje, FYR Macedonia, 18 April 2012:

The workshop »Strengthening Social Dialogue in the Retail Sector in Macedonia« was attended by 14 participants. They were representatives of social partners and companies.

The main topics that were discussed:

The social dialogue in Macedonia and the situation of collective bargaining
Discussion with the presidents of the branch organizations regarding the branch collective agreements
The position of the social dialogue in the retail sector
Social dialogue in the retail sector from the trade union's point of view

There is no collective agreement for retail sector in Macedonia and also at the time of the workshop, ORM did not have representativeness in this sector. Considering this situation, the workshop was an important step forward towards improvement of sectoral social dialogue. During the workshop a discussion has been made for improving the collecting bargaining in the retail sector. Main issues have been raised: lowest salary establishment (the minimum wage is already adopted with the Law on Minimum wage), payment of overtime work, payment for working on holidays and non-working days as a requirement that should be determined and placed in the collective agreement.

NATIONAL WORKSHOP (Agriculture and Food-processing), Skopje, FYR Macedonia, 10 May 2012:

At the workshop “Strengthening Social Dialogue in the Agriculture and Food-processing Sector in Macedonia”, there were 12 participants; most of them were Trade Union representatives, but this didn’t implicate the discussion for strengthening dialogue between the two partners that turned out very prolific. The reason for low participation of employer’s representatives is that they still overly rely on government support. Even though the collective agreement was signed, social dialogue is not taking place as it should, according to the structural changes in the sector. The conclusion was, that new activities to enhance social dialogue are necessary, more information and awareness raising among employers should take place.

The main topics:

The Social Dialogue in Macedonia - the situation of collective bargaining in ORM
Discussion of the branch collective agreements in ORM
The position of the Social Dialogue in agriculture and food-processing industry
Social dialogue in the sector from the trade union's point of view

The representative of the Economic and Social Council Mr. Angel Dimitrov has presented the current work of the Council and the benefits that the Employers have realized by participation in the Social Dialogue.

In the agriculture and food-processing industry in FYR Macedonia, the collective agreement has already been concluded and signed. The bargaining between the representatives of the working groups (Agro Trade Unions and Organization of Employers of Macedonia) is still in progress; they bargain about lowest salary establishment.

The participants also agreed that, although it is a period of general collective agreement in compliance with the amendments made in the Labour Code, the collective bargaining on a branch level must continue.

NATIONAL WORKSHOP (retail), Podgorica, Montenegro, 1 June 2012:

The workshop “Strengthening social dialogue in trade sector in Montenegro” was attended by 24 participants. They were representatives of Montenegrin employers federation, Montenegrin companies, members of UPCG, Trade Union and also representatives of Ministry of economy.

The main topics that were covered were

the social dialogue in trade sector in Montenegro – from employers’ view and from trade unions view
Current economic situation in trade sector in Montenegro

The most important achievement of this workshop is the fact that all actors in this sector were in one place. An important conclusion is that all parties in social dialogue should improve cooperation in a way to overcome current problems in trade sector (the most important problem for lack of Collective agreement is lack of representativeness of trade unions).

All participants at the workshop evaluated this event as very important step towards future activities for improvement of social dialogue in trade sector in Montenegro. This was especially emphasised by the representatives of Trade unions.

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The project SSD-SMM is co-funded by the European Commission.