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. |