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PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES

 

Taking an active part in a consequent reorganization of the organization of Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia

  

Following the activity of Council and Presidency, and preparing adequate activities of these organs, Department for Organizational Issues will get involved in this area, concerning following jobs and tasks

 

 In this domain the CATUS will specially make efforts in:

 - establishing the organization of Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS) in compliance with the needs of membership and playing an appropriate role in the process of social transition

 - organizing new trade unions federations into branches and fields which are not widespread, and enlarging the unions within CATUS, according to the predominant activities

- forming CATUS organizations on the territory of cities, counties and municipalities as well as commission in municipalities and creating material, administrative - technical and personnel conditions for playing a role determined by the Statute of CATUS

  - adjusting the role of a trade union organization to ownership changes as a basic form of arranging members in firms and institutions

 - dismissing the organs of Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions on the territory, when they act contrary to the Program and Statute of CATUS, and forming transitional organs

 - Scheduling and holding the elections in CATUS, – convening congresses,  and constituting the organs of CATUS and forming their working bodies

- Preparing the proposals of the adequate documents

  

Taking an active part in the further development of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia

 Department, which deals with the matter of further development of trade unions and Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions, will consider and work on following ideas and tasks:

 - profiling CATUS on the basis of the experience taken from European countries and creating its image as a strong, modern trade union capable of protecting employees’ interests

 - proposing changes and adjustments of the Statute and other documents of CATUS in those sections that are in relation to further development of the organization

 - adjusting and developing methods and means of action and struggle of company trade union organizations, trade unions federations, territorial union confederations of Autonomous Unions on the territory and the CATUS, approaching  their needs and adapting them to modern social conditions and needs in order to make of it an equal partner in a  social dialogue

 - establishing different kinds of cooperation and finding permanent forms of linking with other trade unions  centers

 - achieving proper cooperation with political parties which respect autonomy, independence and program tasks of the CATUS and which have their representatives in National Assembly, Government and other state organs and institutions

 - establishing communication with non-governmental organizations, when it is of mutual interest and benefit for the membership

 - establishing cooperation with research centres, institutions and organizations which deal with trade union problems within their own field of activities

 - giving help in registering company union organizations, trade unions federations and territorial Confederations of Unions on the territory

 - engaging in the area of personnel policy of CATUS

 

The most important activities in Human Resources will be:

 - carrying out personnel renewal and introducing young, politically uncompromised activists, who are committed to a trade unionism, into the work of organs of the CATUS

 - establishing criteria for the selection of members and officials in organizations and organs of  unions federations and the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions

 

- establishing optimal size of personnel in organs of CATUS on the territory

 - keeping record of the personnel in councils and trade union committees ( presidents and secretaries)

 - updating information from the Questionnaire for newly selected members of the  CATUS Council

 - compiling basic documentation for the Campaign according to the counting union members in union organizations and in order to define representativity of unions and CATUS

 

 The area of provisional – legal issues and labour law protection

 In the following period activities shall involve the application of Labour Law and concluded collective agreements with the aim to:

- stop further violation of employees’ rights

 - professionally enable union activists for the application of regulations, and negotiations and conclusion of collective agreements

 - enforce rights arising from employment

 - strengthen cooperation with the offices of labour inspectorate

 - protect the rights of trade union activists

 - encourage peaceful settlement of collective disputes, with participation of social partners and the National Agency for peaceful settlement of labour disputes

 

Operating towards the economic and social policy agents

  

Starting from the importance of social dialogue especially in the time of critical transition phase, the activities of CATUS will be directed to its strengthening.

  

 In the future CATUS will actively:

 1.  Start the initiative for the change of the present laws and enactment of new ones affecting material and social position of employees

 2.  Participate in the creation of economic state context  and conditions which enable production growth, more  jobs, higher standard of living, healthy and safe working conditions and ecologically healthy environment

 3.  Engage in changes of Strike Law

 4.  Demand better cooperation of Labour Inspectorate, employers, employees and union organizations through formation of mixed commissions and Safety Boards

 5.  Insist on the rule of law within the state and efficient jurisdiction implying the establishment of  specialized courts for labour disputes

 6.  Search for long term solutions to the problem of unemployment through realization of National Employment Strategy and measures of employment policy

 7.  Demand the implementation of the adopted poverty reducing strategy

 8.  Demand further reform of Social and Health Security Systems

 9.  Advocate legal protection of minor shareholders’ rights, as well as the employees’ participation in running the company

  

Developing the system of collective agreements

  

Activities will be directed to:

 - finding the right mode of communication in order to reach an agreement concerning general collective agreement

 - the demand to extend the general – ‘national’ collective agreement to all employees - has a widespread effect

 - the creation of negotiating platform for the conclusion of collective agreements including the definition of basic demands which should not cannot be abandoned

 - monitoring consistent application of collective agreements at all levels

 - the demand of branch trade unions for help in negotiations while concluding branch collective agreements

 - help in negotiations while concluding company collective agreements and collective agreements at the level of local self-government

 - prevention and participation in the settlement of collective labour disputes using the means of mediation and participation in the work of the arbitration bodies responsible for prevention and settlement of conflicts

 

Protests

 In the future CATUS will work hard on strengthening social dialogue. However, if there is a lack of it, and if executive power and employers do not want to take responsibility for the consequences of measures which will be proposed and implemented, the CATUS will apply some other measures of action.

 

Having that in mind CATUS plans to take following actions in its program

 - Making the strategy for the organization of protests and strikes

 - Improvement of the responsible assessment, planning, organization and leading of protests and strikes, which will be an expression of solidarity, integrity and the power of CATUS and branch trade unions

 - Careful management of strike funds and other sources of financing used to support protests and strikes

 - Taking a positive attitude and providing the support of  public and international trade union centers during the organization of strikes and protests

  

Privatization

In the future CATUS will work hard on finishing the process of privatization including the respect and compulsory implementation of comprehensive social programs. When it comes to the privatization of public corporations which are majorly state owned, there will be demands for pre-defined aims and priorities within national programs and a selection of adequate methods of privatization, including a prior compulsory public discussion in which CATUS will take an active part in order to protect employees’ rights in those corporations.   

CATUS will demand that the privatization incomes are primarily used for the start of production and growth of small and medium enterprises, with the aim to make new jobs

 

Trade union education

In order to effectively educate its members in the future

- CATUS will make a long term program for union training,

- provide competent presenters at seminars, round tables, theme    

     briefings and discussions

- provide conditions for the establishment and activities of CATUS school

- prepare textbooks that would help activists in their work

- obtain participation of union activists in international centers for union training

 

Information and communication

 There are planned activities in the area of information, communication and marketing.

- promoting the work of public relations service

- enhancing the process of informing

- providing modern technology and means of communication

- forming necessary information data base

- issuing the CATUS journal

 

Mutual informing within the organization will be carried out by using modern means of communication, with the effort to present the information about the work of CATUS at proper time and at all levels of union organizations.

 

Special attention will be devoted to union marketing: appearance in the media, presentation of program interests and union aims, presentation of the work results.

 

International Cooperation  

Further improvement of international cooperation, as one of the priorities and demands of the time we live in, will be made in several basic directions:

- cooperation with ILO and ITUC

- considering all possibilities and taking all necessary actions in order to become the member of ETUC

- continuation and advance of cooperation with international union organizations and trade union centers, as well as bilateral cooperation with unions of other countries

 

Strengthening of union organizations and CATUS    

CATUS can be successful only if it constantly adjusts to the working and living conditions of its members. CATUS and unions must be organized, in the forms of structure, personnel and work, so that they are able to meet all members’ demands and solve their problems.

 

 

a)             Reform and modernization

Reform and modernization of CATUS and branch trade unions should result in efficient organization which will, in the process of agreeing and decision making, create accordance between specific interests of branch trade union members, and without diminishing the autonomy of organizations and branches, shape them into a unique attitude and activity.

b)             Enlarging the membership

Respecting the size as a basic power of trade union, CATUS, including branch trade unions, will pay special attention to an organized approach, to recruiting and enlarging the membership, firstly in small and medium enterprises, and other sectors where employers disable trade union organization and activities.

c)             Professional Services

Professional, development and advisory work will strengthen within all segments of CATUS and its activities.

d)             Financing and funds

Financially strong trade unions and CATUS are able to successfully perform their functions only if they have stable, reliable and direct financial source.

Basic source of income for trade unions and CATUS should be union membership fee, with a precisely defined sharing at all levels of organization and activities of trade unions and CATUS, including a necessary definition of mechanism which will provide consistent respect for financial discipline.

In the time of transition it is especially important to form funds, regulate their financial sources, as well as use the means belonging to those funds. CATUS will do its best and give support in forming strike funds on the level of union activities, as well as it will form solidarity funds on the level of territorial organizational forms.

 

 

Cooperation of CATUS with other trade union centers

 

        CATUS is willing to communicate and exchange its opinion and experiences with other trade union centers in the Republic.

        The work of CATUS with other trade union centers will be devoted to defining common goals with the respect of ILO conventions, and all of that will be done in order to avoid insults.

 

        With the aim to protect membership’s interests better and to improve the quality of union presentation in the country, CATUS will, according to the principles of equality and solidarity between representational trade union centers, support joint organization and running of important union activities.

 

 

 

Connection with political parties and non-governmental organizations

 

CATUS will continue cooperating adequately with political parties, primarily parliamentary ones (directly and through MP clubs), so that trade union demands could effect legislation and other meritory judgments which are important for material and social position and labour law security of trade union membership.

 

With the aim to do program activities of trade unions and CATUS, CATUS will actively cooperate with international foundations and non-governmental organizations, it will also initiate proposing and taking part in projects which have to do with creating and developing social dialogue at all levels, recruitment and education of the membership, development and encouragement of interregional and over boarder cooperation.   







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