Dear Mr Prime Minister,

Dear Mr Vučić,

As Secretary General of Eurofedop (European Federation of Employees in Public Services, www.eurofedop.org), I was informed by our member organisation Sindikat Telekoma “Srbija” of the situation as regards collective bargaining and social dialogue in the company of Telekom Srbija.

Much to our regret, we notice that not only our member organisation is not invited to participate in consultative talks between the social partners of the above-mentioned company but even that social dialogue between those partners is simply missing.

This in spite of the commitment which the Republic of Serbia has taken by ratifying the European Social Charter of the Council of Europe and Conventions adopted at the ILO as well as the fact that, according to the collective agreement which was decided within Telekom Srbija, the employer is obliged to negotiate with the trade unions.

In particular, our member organisation expresses great concern about the salary reduction of 10 % which was imposed on employees of the public service in 2014.

The absence of respect towards an important part of the working population also shows by the refusal to allow the Confederation of Free Trade Unions, which is a representative trade union organisation with 250 000 members, to which our member organisation belongs, to take part in consultative talks within tripartite bodies and committees such as the Social and Economic Council.

Social dialogue is an indispensable tool for economic success and the readiness shown by a country to involve representative social partners in the decision-making process is an indicator of the country’s maturity.

We therefore appeal to your cooperation for dealing with this absence of industrial relations in the company of Telekom Srbija and taking appropriate measures so that our colleagues of Sindikat Telekoma “Srbija” would be allowed to participate in constructive talks between the social partners in their company.

Respectfully yours,

Bert Van Caelenberg

Secretary General Eurofedop