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A VISIT OF EUROPEAN METAL WORKERS' FEDERATION AND CCMB TO MWBU ''NEZAVISNOST''

TONY JANSSEN PROMISED SUPPORT




Belgrade, March 31, 2007
Tony Janssen, President of European Metal Workers' Federation (EMF) and President of CCMB Trade Union from Belgium, as well as Alicja Masievic, EMF's expert associate with Head Office in Brussels, visited the MWBU ''Nezavisnost'' in the period from March 26 – 28, 2007.

During the visit, Tony Janssen and Alicja Masievic of EMF and CCMB talked to the Minister Slobodan Lalovic, in the Republic Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Policy. During the talks, Minister Lalovic stressed that this Government has done a great deal in attracting foreign investments, as well as in opening vacancies. When asked by a trade union's representative about his opinion of the situation in the near future, Minister Lalovic emphasized that legal enactments in the domain of employment and labor relations were brought into line with the laws of European Union, but that a lot had to be done, stressing that the pressures exerted on Serbia by the International Community referring to cooperation with the Hague, as well as depriving Serbia of the territory of Kosovo, could have adverse effects on citizens' temper and thereby on attracting foreign investments in the near future. The trade union could not agree with such statement, as we are aware that Serbia has neither a Government nor a Parliament after a three-month period. When he was asked about the social dialogue issue, Minister Lalovic answered that the foundations of the social dialogue were laid down through laws and that ''actors'' themselves should be in charge of its functioning.

In connection with the issue of distribution of trade unions' property, Minister Lalovic stated that this issue was being considered and that this wasn't a simple process, because in the previous period that property was recorded in the registers illegally, in the name of the Confederation of Autonomous Unions of Serbia. Until this problem is solved, the UBU ''Nezavisnost'' has to provide working conditions during that period.

During the talks in the Ministry of the Economy, the Undersecretaries M. Josipovic and S. Vuletic informed the EMF President and the MWBU ''Nezavisnost'' of the economic situation in Serbia. In a detailed discussion, it was concluded that a lot had to be done in the area of securing investments and attracting foreign investments, in order to realize the ''strategy of Serbian economic development in the period 2006 – 2012''. The Ministry of the Economy considers that the rate of unemployment will be reduced until 2012 from the present 24% to 15%, i.e. that approximately 650.000 workers will get a job. Naturally, it is necessary to create a favorable environment for foreign investors, and it can be noticed already
that companies from Rumania started a transfer of their production to Serbia. The reason for this production transfer is not only lower labor cost at this time, but also the Rumanian obligation of applying the Standards. In addition to this, Serbia has an agreement with Russia on tariff-free trade. At trade union's question, whether the latest events in Bor were a positive signal for foreign investors, wherein anyone could obstruct the process and Purchase and Sales Contract, the representatives of the Ministry of the Economy stated that the Government would take all necessary measures to convey ''CUPROM'' in property.

The colleagues from Brussels had, on the second day of visit, an opportunity to be informed directly about the activities of MWBU ''Nezavisnost'' in the field. Also, they had the opportunity to attend a court trial in the Municipal Court of Smederevo on the occasion of Labor Contract termination for 270 employees of ''Milan Blagojevic'' Smederevo, because of their participation in the strike. The trade unions of the West, emhasized Tony Janssen, were not familiar with such practice of terminating Labor Contracts, because in the EU countries the legal procedure was strictly observed. Mr. Janssen announced a support to colleagues in Serbia, but at the same time invited employees to organize themselves in strong trade unions, because it depended on their strength how they would fight for their rights.

On the occasion of the visit to the Rolling Stock Factory in Smederevska Palanka and U.S. Steel Serbia, Tony Janssen was interested in Collective Agreements, as well as in the companies' intentions to invest in the streamlining of manufacturing capacities. It has been said that Collective Agreements exist, that they have been applied, that as far as the investments are concerned, both companies continue to invest, because they intend to improve the quality and increase the production volume, as well as to sell their products in the EU market and other markets too.

In the talks conducted with the leadership of MWBU ''Nezavisnost'' Tony Janssen confirmed the EMF's readiness for support to its members in the region of South-East Europe, as well as that CCMB and MWBU ''Nezavisnost'' should establish a closer cooperation and that they were willing to help the MWBU ''Nezavisnost'' from Belgium. The forms of support and assistance shall be agreed in the following period.

 
     
 
 
 
 
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