Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – The Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro (USSCG) will begin organizing one-hour rallies outside the Government building every weekday from Monday, starting at 11:55 a.m., as part of its campaign for the conclusion of a new General Collective Agreement (GCA) and the adoption of a new coefficient calculation value used for determining public-sector wages.

At a joint meeting held today between representative social partners, Government officials, and representatives of the European Union Delegation to Montenegro, USSCG representatives said that social dialogue is neither constructive nor functional.

“We asked the EU representative to ensure that the European Commission pays particular attention to this benchmark when assessing the closure of Chapter 19 – Social Policy and Employment, and to make its closure conditional on the establishment of a functional social dialogue, especially in light of the failure to conclude a new General Collective Agreement,” the union said in a press release.

The union reminded that, since the previous agreement expired, more than 100,000 employees have been left without guaranteed labour rights.

USSCG said the Government was represented at the meeting by Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue Naida Nisic and Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorcevic, while the EU Delegation was represented by Liselotte Isaksson, Deputy Head of the Cooperation Section.